Friendship, The Reason To Live
by 0MoonAndSun0
Summary: Who would have thought a One-Night Stand could end up being the best friendship Kakashi would ever have? Romance and Friendship go hand in hand sometimes. Future Lemon, Lime, Fluff. Please R&R!
1. Waffles

**I have had this idea for a fanfic for a while and I thought I should post the first chapter.**

**Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy it. :)**

**Please if you have time, I would be so thankful for reviews. I am new at writing and I want to improve!**

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_Why the hell does my head hurt so much?_

My eyes opened slowly, blinking a few times to get a clearer view of a ceiling. A stranger's ceiling. I turned my head to the side, wincing at the throb in my head, to see a large bookcase filled with books. Next to it was an open window letting in the morning sun and a slight breeze. Not recognizing anything, I raised my head a little to get a look at the rest of the room, realizing I was in a complete stranger's bedroom. And I was completely naked under the sheets.

_Where the hell am I?_

It was then that I smelled frying bacon coming from the open door leading out of the room. My muggy mind realizing I was not alone, I turned to the side and looked down at the floor, searching for clothes. I found mine neatly folded next to the bed, adding to my growing suspicion. Quickly and quietly getting dressed, I slowly stood up, watching the world tip and turn under me. Scowling, I began to realize what was wrong with me.

_I'm hung-over. _

I stood for a second, waiting for my nausea to go away. _Did I really just wake up in a stranger's bed, with no recollection of last night, after having obviously had sex with them and sleeping in?_ I closed my eyes, half of my mouth lifting up into a disappointed smile, cursing myself for being so stupid and reckless. _I should know by now what alcohol does to me…_ Thoroughly embarrassed at myself, I looked over at the window, contemplating whether or not I should just escape now and save myself from the beyond awkward apologies. _I cannot believe I can't even remember _who _I spent the night with… I really do have a bad drinking problem._

"Finally awake?" said a smooth, deep voice coming from the open door. I jumped and snapped my head in the direction, meeting the eye of none other than Hatake Kakashi, the famed copy ninja. My eyes wide, I saw him lean on the door, one hand on the handle and the other holding a frying pan. He wore nothing but his boxers, a tight muscle shirt, and his face mask. His single open eye looked relaxed and a bit amused as he took in my 'deer in the headlights' expression. It took all my strength not to hang my mouth open at the sight of this world-renowned ninja leaning casually in nothing but his PJ's. Being an idiot, the most intelligent thing I could think to say at that moment was,

"That bacon smells good." I mentally cursed myself, my cheeks heating up as I watched him smile from under the mask. His posture was so relaxed, and mine was as tense as ever. I closed my eyes and dipped my head, bringing a hand up to massage the growing headache in my forehead. I somehow summoned the courage and looked up at him again, an apologetic smile forming on my lips. He beat my apology by saying,

"I made a lot, and I hope you like waffles." With that and a smile, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving me to try to comprehend his words in my cloudy mind. Still not fully grasping the ridiculousness of the situation, I decided to stay safe with the state my mind was in and focus on something that made sense.

_Waffles._

I took a deep breath in, trying to calm myself, and only succeeded in smelling the delicious food coming from the door. Realizing how hungry I was, I slowly crept my way to the door, the smell of cooking breakfast reeling me in. I stopped at the door frame and peeked through, beholding a sight that made me wonder whether I was still sleeping or not. Kakashi, deadly ninja of the Leaf, was in a kitchen frying eggs with one hand and reading an orange book with the other. _Orange book…_ _Icha Icha! I've read that before!_ And with that connection, a host of memories came flooding back into my mind, making my blush intensify. I still didn't remember everything from last night, but I remembered being drunk and talking to Kakashi about that book, that _porn_ book, and telling him how it was one of my favorite reads…

"You mind pouring the batter into the waffle maker? I'm almost done with the eggs," Kakashi asked casually, bringing me back to reality. Not trusting my voice, I walked over to the counter and did as he asked. I looked sideways at him, still not believing my drunken self had actually had a conversation with him regarding the very _graphic_ sex book he held in his hand. _God damn it, Lyra. _I closed my eyes and shook my head, a hopeless smile forming on my face. _Well, hell. Might as well make the best out of this confusing situation as I can. _

_Waffles._

I opened my eyes and looked over at the preoccupied ninja. "You have any chocolate chips?" I blurted out. I blinked and before I could apologize for my hangover rudeness, he looked over at me and met my eyes with his amused one.

"Right above you, left cupboard. Throw some in for me as well." I blinked again and smiled, reaching up to grab the bag of chocolate chips. I poured an overly generous amount onto the waffle batter out of habit, cringing as I continued to muck up this morning with even more rudeness. I liked my waffles completely covered in chocolate, but some people can't handle them that chocolately. I looked over at the ninja putting some eggs and bacon onto a plate and he turned towards me, his eyes crinkling in a slight smile as I stared at him. He handed me the plate and before I could thank him he said,

"There's orange juice and water in the fridge." I took the plate, giving him a thankful smile before he turned away to get his own plate.

"What do you want to drink?" I asked him, feeling I should be helpful since he was giving me food. The word 'drink' surfaced another memory of last night, of me getting highly intoxicated next to Kakashi in a bar and… _Oh my God._

"I'll take water. The cups are above," he responded and pointed above the fridge while still reading his book. I opened the fridge, my body totally running on autopilot while my mind was in turmoil. The things I did last night… I closed my eyes and shook my head. I glanced up at the waffles as the beep went off and cringed as Kakashi went over to open them up. A deep chuckle shook his shoulders as he saw my chocolate covered waffles.

"Finally someone gets it right," he said, looking over at me and smiling from under his mask. My eyebrows rose and I smiled back as I replied,

"Sorry, old habits. But really, that should be the only way to eat waffles." He put one waffle on his plate and another on mine. "Thank you for the food," I got out, smiling at him with an apologetic face. His eyebrows rising, he looked surprised at my humble thank you. _Well it's no wonder why. I turn into a confident bitch when I'm drunk._ _ I can't believe he's being so kind to me…_

"It's no problem. It's nice to eat waffles with someone else once in a while," He replied. He turned away with his food and drink and began eating from the counter. Respecting the man's privacy, I turned away too and took a bite out of the chocolate waffle.

"Mmm…" I moaned with a smile. "There exists nothing better on this world than a fresh chocolate waffle." I heard him 'Hm' his agreement behind me, and it just hit me then that I was having a casual conversation with an attractive man, in his underwear, in his kitchen, about waffles, the morning after…

"I may have to have you make another one for me," I heard behind me, and I swallowed my bite to reply,

"I'd be happy to. But you know, you have enough batter for two more waffles, and I'd just hate to see you have to waste it…" I looked over at him hopefully. He turned his head to glance at me with his one eye. I watched his eye crinkle from a smile as he said,

"Make yourself one, too. And use as many chocolate chips as you wish." I smiled widely in thanks.

"That was an unwise decision, giving me unlimited access to your chocolate chips," I warned him playfully, finishing off the food from my plate. I walked over to turn on the waffle maker again. I looked up to see him also done with his food, watching me plug in the waffle maker with an amused expression. He picked up his book again, flipping to a page as he waited for the waffles. I settled my hand onto my hip, wincing as I felt a pain. _Pain? On my hips?_

_I have bruises on my hips. _

I decided the time had come to bring up last night, and I swallowed my nerves and stared at the waffle maker.

"So Make-out Paradise. Good book. What chapter are you on?" I tried to ask casually, hiding the side of my face with a veil of hair. He paused.

"Well… You don't remember?" He asked hesitantly. I summoned the courage and glanced up to see his curious eye looking down at me thoughtfully.

"Not really… Last night is kind of a blur," I replied honestly. I noticed a slight blush peek out of the top of Kakashi's face mask as he deliberated. He smiled and looked down, closing his eye and chuckling after some thought.

"Well, I am in Chapter 7 of the book." He looked up as if that would help me remember. And then it hit me. Chapter 7… the chapter where… _Holy shit. _My eyes widened and my blush intensified even more. I had asked him the same question last night and he had told me Chapter 7. I remember now how we had replicated the, erm, _events_ in the porn book and Chapter 7 was known to have the most challenging sex moves and positions of the entire series. I closed my eyes and felt my face half smile and felt a chuckle come from me. My hand reached up to scratch the back of my head and I opened my eyes to see his amused one looking at me.

"It must've been an interesting night then," I got out, smiling and shrugging.

"I would have to agree with you," Kakashi said, chuckling softly. The waffles beeped and we both eagerly got our waffles and began eating like before. My brain was busy trying to piece together all the events of last night leading up to this morning. _This morning after has to be the smoothest morning I've had with anyone before. _

"Thanks again for the food, Kakashi," I spoke behind my shoulder. "I'm Lanyra by the way, in case I had forgotten to tell you that last night." I spoke lightly, finally feeling a little less uncomfortable with this calm man. _The waffles are probably helping. _

"It is no problem, Lanyra." He responded just as casually. "Help yourself to more if you're hungry, I'm going to grab a shower." Kakashi placed his plate in the sink and looked over at me as he finished his drink. He closed his eye and smiled under his mask before he turned to his bedroom and left me alone in his kitchen.

_So is this the part when I leave? I can't tell. This morning has been so smooth and the guy I spent the night with actually cooked me breakfast. Like when does that ever happen?_ I looked around the kitchen and decided I might as well help clean. I grabbed my dishes and the frying pan and waffle maker and turned on the hot water in the sink. My mind finally clear again, I realized how long it had been since I had last eaten with utensils. I had just gotten back to the Leaf Village last night for the first time in a long time. It had been so long that my old classmates hadn't even recognized me. _Well no shit. I've kind of been gone for what? 6 years now?_ Late last night I had realized I was finally home in my village but without an actual house or apartment to return to. That had been what had led me to the bar.

I was drying the last plate with a towel I found hanging when I felt a strong and energetic chakra approaching from outside the house. I heard a loud bang on the front door. At a loss of what to do, I waited for another bang. This time I heard the door come crashing through and I looked over to see a tall man in a green jumpsuit strike a standing pose as he regarded the room and kitchen with an unnerving smile. He took a large breath in to yell,

"Kakashi! You are now two hours late for our training session! That means two hours worth of walking around the village on our hands for our warm up routine!" He stopped yelling when he saw my startled expression and his eyes widened under his bushy eyebrows. "Well I didn't see you there, little miss. Have you seen my rival, Kakashi? We are meant to train today!" His energy rolled off of him like waves, awakening the rest of my deadened senses from the hangover. I mentally shook myself, trying to comprehend the increased ridiculousness of my situation. _First I wake up after a one night stand to eat chocolate waffles with a nice strange man, and now his rival comes barging into his house with the complete opposite personality as him and… _

"Oh, good morning, Gai. Give me another minute to dress and we can go," said Kakashi from the door behind me. I looked around to see him standing in the doorway to his room with nothing on but his face mask and a towel wrapped around his waist. His wet hair was messy, sticking up everywhere, and his entire body was pale and fit with years of training and experience. His tall, lean form was chiseled with hard muscle along his arms, shoulders, chest and abdomen. _Holy _fuck _he's hot._

"One more minute will be another hour hand walking around the village!" yelled the passionate man, seemingly named Gai. Kakashi waved a hand, letting him know he heard him, and headed back to his room to change. I turned to look at Gai again, wondering if he really intended to walk around the entire village on his hands. Gai looked down at me and smiled a sparkling smile while holding out a thumbs up.

"I haven't met you before, are you a friend of Kakashi's?" He asked, interested.

"Uhh..." I responded intelligently, reaching up a hand to scratch my head.

"I am Gai, the Green Beast of the Leaf, Kakashi's one eternal rival!" He announced proudly, sparkling another smile and winking. My eyebrows rose a bit and I held out a hand.

"Well it is a pleasure to meet you, Gai. I am Lanyra," I responded with my own smile. This guy must be fun to be around. Gai met my hand and gave me a firm shake, which I responded with an equally firm shake.

"Strong grip you've got there, Lanyra! You wouldn't happen to be a fellow shinobi, would you?" I felt myself smile a bit and was about to respond when I felt Kakashi's chakra enter the kitchen.

"Alright Gai, I'm ready" I heard behind me. I looked over my shoulder to meet the eye of the fully clothed Kakashi. He wore another long sleeved tight shirt with a green vest over it and standard ninja pants rolled up showing bandaged calves. Kakashi finished pulling gloves onto his hands, and his Leaf headband covered up his left eye. He met my eyes and gave me a slight smile and looked over at the sink, seeing everything clean. He looked over at me again with his eyebrows raised and said,

"Thank you for doing the dishes, Lanyra." He sounded a bit surprised and I wondered if I had overstayed my welcome. _Most guys would feel super uncomfortable right about now. No one wants the girl to stick around for long. I usually leave before they wake up anyways but this time…_ My internal rambling was interrupted when I saw a genuine smile coming from under Kakashi's mask.

"Gai, this is my friend, Lanyra. Lanyra, Gai." Gai and I looked at each other and smiled again.

"I met your friend, Kakashi! But she isn't an excuse to be late for training!" He proclaimed, practically bouncing in eagerness.

"I don't know, Gai. The waffles we had this morning seemed worth it," Kakashi met my eyes and smiled. I responded,

"Damn right they were worth it. There is no better way to start off a day of training than with waffles," I joked knowingly, crossing my arms and smiling back.

"Well then let us be off already! We are losing the day!" exclaimed Gai, bounding towards the door with bubbling energy. Kakashi strolled after him, their opposite personalities exaggerating each other. He stopped at the door and looked back at me, seeing me at a loss of what to do. Before he could say anything, I blurted out,

"Can I come train with you guys?" Kakashi raised his eyebrows and Gai came back in to peer at me. "It's just that I am itching to get some energy out and I don't really know any good training grounds…" I stopped when I felt a pang in my head for getting worked up, and I subconsciously raised a hand to my forehead and began healing my headache.

"So you ARE a ninja! Well great the more the merrier! We shall sweat the day away and bathe in the energy of our youth!" Gai proclaimed, making a fist to show his determination and readiness. I smiled uncertainly and saw Kakashi give me a curious and thoughtful look. He pulled out Icha Icha from his bag and flipped to a page.

"Well, let's go then." Kakashi said casually while reading his book. I walked up to them and we exited Kakashi's house.

I looked up at the beautiful morning sun, smiling at the crazy turn of events. I closed my eyes and felt the breeze, breathing in the cool air and settling my nerves. I opened my eyes and looked over at the two ninjas.

"Point me in the direction and I will beat you guys there!" I challenged, smiling my excitement. Gai pumped his fist into the air, exclaiming,

"That's the way to start off a day of training!" He shook his legs out and took a deep breath. Kakashi looked me in the eyes and smiled interestedly, even storing his book in his bag and readying himself as well. I bounced on my feet and felt my smile grow even bigger. Gai pointed in the direction east and said,

"Ready?! Set?! GO!"

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**I am thinking about writing the next chapter in a different point of view. Maybe in 3rd person but centered on Kakashi. Please let me know what you think! Thank you so much for reading!**


	2. Matched Duel

**Chapter 2 is longer, and I tried out a new point of view half way through. **

**I hope you enjoy, please review!**

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I leaned over, putting my hands on my knees, panting heavily as I tried to catch my breath. I was covered in a sheen of sweat from the exercise and adrenaline and it felt amazing. I looked over to my right to see Kakashi and Gai in the same position, all three of us recovering from our extremely intense race. Gai was the first to recover, shooting his fist into the air and exclaiming,

"Now THAT was a race to remember!" He breathed heavily and laid a heavy hand on Kakashi's shoulder. "Kakashi, I think we have found another opponent worthy of our competitions!" He looked over at me and I lifted my head in response, giving a tired smile and taking in a deep breath one last time to settle my pounding heart.

"I can't believe we all tied, though!" I mused. I felt my mouth lift in a smile but then a thought came to mind. "You both better not have held back on me," I looked at the two, lifting my eyebrows and crossing my arms. Kakashi straightened up and looked at me, meeting my eyes, his single eye looking awake and alive from the race. He responded,

"We weren't holding back. I hope you weren't holding back on us, either," He crossed his own arms, mimicking me, and showed his amusement with just his one visual eye. I felt half my face lift in a half smile, and I glared at the teasing man light-heartedly.

"I never hold back," I told them while reaching back to tie my mane of hair into a knot in the back on my head.

"Is that so?" Kakashi asked, looking suspicious but also light-hearted. "Not even last night?" I stood there shocked for a second; not really believing that this smooth man that I had just met this morning had just teased me about… my _performance_ last night. I could feel a blush coming to my face and I bent down quickly to grab a rock from the ground. I chucked the stone at him without thinking about it, glaring at his jab. I didn't put any power behind it and he easily dodged, eye crinkling in a smile.

"The hell does that mean?!" I exclaimed, my eyebrows high and a startled smile on my face. Gai looked surprised as well, but after I glanced at his face he didn't seem to catch on to what happened the night before.

"Oh, nothing, nothing…" Kakashi waved a hand, looking aloof, dismissing my flustered reaction. _The ass!_ Gai spoke up.

"How about you two settle the disagreement with a duel? I'm going to walk around the village four times on my hands before sunset!" And with that, he bounded off to the village wall. _What a guy._ I looked over to see myself alone with Kakashi. My adrenaline still coursing through my veins, I spoke up.

"A duel, huh? Do you think you can take me, Copy Ninja?" I taunted over to him, a joking smile on my face. Kakashi looked back at me amused and then stopped. He looked down and seemed to deliberate something for a few seconds. He glanced up at me with a mischievous expression coming from his eye and said,

"Oh, probably. I've already taken you once…" My mouth dropped and before I knew what I was doing I sprinted over to him and threw a punch at his face. He blocked it, his eye squinting in a smile as I flew my leg up to kick him in the side, my own smile coming from my lips. He blocked that as well and threw his own punch to which I quickly dodged to the side.

"You ass!" My startled expression still present, a big grin started to form on my lips at his wit. He threw another jab at me, my instincts taking over and making me roll out of the way. Still on the ground, I swung my leg towards his, trying to trip him, and he jumped out of the way. I looked to see a similar smile coming from his hidden face. I dodged his fist and flipped backwards as he aimed a kick towards my head. I faked right, trying to get him off guard to kick his side, but he barely dodged out of the way.

Our punches and kicks slowly sped up, our arms and legs adding more power and speed. We tested each others to find strengths and weaknesses, weaving an uninterrupted string of blocks and dodges, getting used to the rhythm of battle. We continued sparring for maybe ten minutes, both of us realizing we were evenly matched. I had barely been able to nick his chest with my foot from a spinning kick when he jumped backwards ten feet. He spoke,

"You are quite adept at taijutsu," Kakashi commented. His breathing matched mine, slightly worked up, and colored with the adrenaline of a matched battle. Neither of us had the upper hand.

"You sure are too," I replied, a half smile coming from parted lips, breathing in the summer air for my exercised muscles. "You beat me in strength, but I think I make up for it in speed." Kakashi nodded in agreement at the observation. He paused, thinking about something for a few seconds. I was about to jump at him when he was distracted but I stopped when he reached up to his headband.

"You are high leveled enough to make me use this," Kakashi commented thoughtfully, seemingly surprised at our matched duel. _Use what?_ Kakashi slowly pushed up his headband to rest horizontally on his forehead, revealing his other eye. As I saw this morning, his left eyelid had a vertical scar running through it down to hide under his mask, marking a painful memory. His eye opened and showed his famous Sharingan while his other closed. _I get to fight against a Sharingan!_ The blood red iris had three black comas; each called a tomoe, circling the black pupil. I could feel the battle tension in the air getting heavier in between us. It felt like he was able to watch and perceive my every move, my every twitch, even before I did. I smiled at the challenge.

"I feel honored. I have never gotten to fight a Sharingan user before," I said. Kakashi raised his eyebrows a bit and responded,

"Most people wouldn't say 'gotten' to fight against a Sharingan," he regarded me thoughtfully. "However, I am guessing you're not like most people." I smiled a small smile in thanks and readied myself. _Should I use it?_ I saw Kakashi get into a readied crouch. _Maybe I should. But I've never used it against a friend before…_ I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I calmed my battle-crazed nerves and focused on my chakra. I analyzed my chakra balance and slowly reached out to the energies of the world. I could feel the life forces of the trees around me and the little buds of light coming from the birds in a nest to my left. I felt the wind blow on my side, carrying the stray hairs coming from my bun and caressing my heated body with the energy filled breeze. _Alright, Nature chakra. Here we go._ The endless chakra of the world around me began to flow into me steadily, filling me with energy and giving me a profound sense of oneness. The wind blowing around me, the strong earth supporting my feet, the fire of the sun lighting the world and filling me with warmth. I connected to everything around me in a matter of seconds that felt like an hour, understanding the balance of the nature surrounding me.

I felt my eyes turn from the light grey they usually are to a bright, shining silver from under my closed eyelids. I felt the dark green lines etch around my eyes to swirl down the sides of my cheeks to my jaw, completing my nature chakra absorption. I opened my eyes to see a startled Kakashi take in my different appearance. His sharingan eye absorbed my appearance and could probably sense the new chakra I had acquired. His eyebrows high, he asked,

"You have mastered Sage mode?" His disbelief gave me a small smile as I readied myself in a crouch as well.

"Well I had to even the tables after you revealed your Sharingan," I responded. Our eyes in contact, we both understood this duel would get interesting.

"Who are you?" Kakashi asked seriously, realizing the girl he brought home last night was much more capable than he had thought.

"I told you, I'm Lanyra! You haven't forgotten already?" I joked lightly, easing some of the tension brought about by our power. "And here I thought I had met such a gentleman." I winked at him and smiled, letting him know we were just two friends training together. Two powerful friends. "I need some practice with these new sensory abilities and sparring with you and your Sharingan would be perfect." Kakashi searched my eyes, seeing my honesty, and slowly relaxed a bit.

"Well, I'm also trying to get used to these sensory abilities, so this works for me as well," he said. He saw me smile and his eyes smiled back. He clenched his hands and shuffled his feet, readying himself. "I won't hold back on you if you don't hold back on me," he said over to me. I grinned but got serious.

"Sounds good! I'm going to stick to taijutsu for now for safety, but after we get more used to each other we can play around with some ninjutsu." He nodded in agreement.

Wasting no time, I bent my knees and gathered power, then shot myself over to where he stood. He dodged in the last second and even blocked the hidden kick I had coming from behind. _No blind spots._ He threw a punch when I was turned around but I felt his chakra move and I ducked under it, swinging my leg around to try to trip him again. He dodged again but I flew at him when he was still in the air, and he blocked my jab. I increased my speed even more, loving the fact that his Sharingan could pick up on my fast movements, allowing me to try to speed up even more. We whirled around each other, both of us punching and kicking, trying to get the advantage, the Sharingan and the Sage powers even in their sensing abilities. After around fifteen minutes of our fast dance, we both smiled widely at each other in between punches at our matched power. When two people are evenly matched when sparring, they can each push themselves farther than they could when against someone at a lower level without the fear of hurting them. I was able to try new attack patterns at new speeds and Kakashi could counter me with his own new experimenting of speed and power. Kakashi could copy and perfectly memorize any jutsu or move of taijutsu with his Sharingan, making repeating a move in the same way as before useless. He replicated some of my new ideas that required more power than I had that worked out for him, and in turn he showed me through our sparring dance of punches, kicks, and whirls his ideas that required more speed than he had for me.

We fought for hours like this, pushing ourselves over our limits of focus and strength and speed, both of us reveling in the bond you make with someone in a duel. The sun had just begun to set when I realized that both of us were so exhausted that our punches and kicks had no power behind them. My breathing was coming heavily, and so was Kakashi's. I jumped back from him, falling with my hands on my knees, panting heavier than I had ever before. My hands slippery on my sweaty knees, I tried to find more energy. I looked over at him and he was in the same position, his Sharingan closed for the time being. He looked up and made eye contact with me with his right dark eye, panting just as heavily as me. Still looking at me, he smiled from under his mask and tried to straighten up. I did the same, noticing how late the day was. I spoke to him for the first time in hours, my breath coming heavily.

"Now that… we worked on… taijutsu… maybe we… can do some… ninjutsu?" I panted over to him, causing him to chuckle in his own exhaustion. He responded just as tiredly,

"I think… we should take a break… for now." He rubbed his left eye, the one with the Sharingan, and said, "I think… I need to give… this thing a rest." I nodded in understanding. I felt the nature chakra leave my system, making my eyes turn back to their original grey color and the green lines disappear from my cheeks and eyelids. I took a wobbly step towards Kakashi, my exhaustion showing. I took another step and said,

"Come here… let me heal your bruises." His eyebrows rose and he responded,

"You still have enough chakra for that?" He looked like he could barely stand on his feet, and I took another step towards him, closing the distance between us to arm's length. I looked up tiredly to his face and smiled a small smile.

"It just takes a little bit," I told him. Both of our legs wobbled, threatening to tip us over. _That was the best spar I've ever had with anyone before. I am so completely drained!_ "How about we sit down for a few…" I suggested, and Kakashi nodded. We both slowly bent our knees to sit down and we both collapsed from exhaustion, Kakashi falling back and me falling forward. Kakashi fell onto his back but cushioned his fall with his elbows, grunting. I fell forward and my head landed on Kakashi's stomach. I tried lifting myself up to move off of him but my arms collapsed, and I gave up and just rested my head on his hard stomach.

"Oof… sorry…" I apologized. I weakly laughed and panted, "I am so tired." While still breathing hard, I brought my hand up to rest on his chest, my hand beginning to glow blue with medical jutsu. He chuckled back, his own breath heavy, and rested his head on the ground.

"I'm tired as well," He relented. He noticed me healing him and mumbled, "Thanks, Lyra…" he took in a deep breath to try to catch his breath. "Sorry, Lanyra…" I started at his mispronunciation, recognizing the familiar nickname Lyra that my old friends had given me. The old nickname gave me comfort.

"You can call me Lyra," I took a deep breath as well, catching my own breath. "It's what my friends call me." I moved my healing hand over to his left shoulder where I knew I had landed a nasty bruise. He 'Hm'ed in response, reaching one of his hands up to pull his headband down over his Sharingan.

"That was an awesome duel," Kakashi mused, looking down at me resting on his stomach. My body was curled up on my side facing his head with my own head on his hard abdomen. I could feel his slowing breaths and his fast heartbeat. We had both caught our breaths but our muscles were still fatigued.

"Yeah, it was." I smiled in agreement and then closed my eyes, focusing on healing his bruises.

"Thank you for healing me, Lyra. But these bruises aren't bad and we are already tired from fighting…" He stopped when I hushed him.

"Just let me, it was me who gave you the bruises." My other hand lit up with healing chakra and rested on my arm, healing the bruise Kakashi had given me. "Plus, it's good practice healing two different people at the same time while I'm already exhausted, like in a real fight." Kakashi continued to look at me, his face for the first time unreadable to me from under his mask. I felt a pang in my stomach and remembered we had skipped lunch. _All of our training has made me famished._

"I am so hungry I could eat an entire cow," I said to him. Kakashi chuckled, making my head move a bit on his stomach.

"Same here," he replied. I finished healing his shoulder and my arm and just rested for a minute, closing my eyes and enjoying the dying heat of the sun as it sunk down under the earth. It felt nice to just lay there after such a long duel, and the company of this man whose power matched mine was comforting to be by under this sunset. My thoughts turned to food again. I opened my eyes to see Kakashi's closed, his head resting on the ground.

"Do you know any good places that sell beef?" I asked Kakashi, making him open his eyes and look down at me.

"Wanting to get that cow?" He asked, his eye crinkling in a smile.

"Yeah. I'm actually thinking of cooking a big beef and vegetable stew," I mused, smiling at the sound of it. Then I stopped. _ I don't have a place to cook… I still haven't found a house or apartment to stay in and it's already evening. Damn it, Lyra._

"We'll get some beef and vegetables at the market and have a big stew tonight, then," replied Kakashi, resting his head back on the ground and smiling. I looked up at him, eyes wide, not really believing this man's generosity.

"Really? Thank you." I thanked him sincerely, his kindness making me smile. We were both still in our collapsed positions, but neither of us made a move to change. Both of us seemed content to lay there and enjoy the last few minutes of the dying light together. Kakashi seemed to be thinking about something, his chakra getting worked up. He looked down at me and met my eyes with his dark one.

"You are like a completely different person from last night," he mused, and I blushed, knowing this was coming. I felt half my face smile and I sighed, closing my eyes. My head sill lay on Kakashi's hard stomach.

"I kind of have a drinking problem, but it's not a normal drinking problem. Alcohol…changes me. Into that beast you encountered last night." I opened my eyes and met his amused one. "I get extremely confident and…lustful. It's a bit inconvenient. And quite embarrassing…" I looked down and felt my blush intensify when I remembered some of the crazy things I did with this man last night. I felt a low chuckle come from Kakashi, his stomach rolling, making my head move. I looked up at him, embarrassed, and met his kind face.

"You have nothing to be embarrassed about, believe me," he told me. That however just made me even more embarrassed, making my blush intensify even more. I turned my head towards him and buried my face into his vest, hiding my face from this smooth man. He chuckled again, making me smile into his shirt. I then felt a familiar energetic chakra enter my perception, running towards us about 100 meters away. I looked up from Kakashi's vest to look over behind us, noticing the sun had sunk even lower, signaling the end of sunset. I looked at Kakashi and said,

"I think your friend, Gai is coming. I am interested to see if he made it around the village four times on his hands," I commented. I summoned what energy I had left and raised my head off of Kakashi, sitting next to him in the darkening light. Kakashi also slowly sat up, dusting off the back of his head and blinking a few times in fatigue. He responded,

"Oh, I'm sure he did. However powerful we are in taijutsu, he surpasses us. Don't let him know I said that, though," I looked at him interestedly, wondering at Gai's supposed physical capabilities. I looked over to see Gai emerge from the trees, looking just as fatigued as Kakashi and I, but still with his ever-present enthusiasm. He saw us on the ground and his large eyebrows rose.

"Kakashi! Lanyra! How was your duel?" He greeted us, coming to sit next to us on the ground. I looked over to see Kakashi looking back at me with his dark eye, both of us smiling in remembrance of our exciting spar. Kakashi looked over at Gai to respond.

"Lyra and I have completely equal taijutsu skills. We fought and fought each other, neither of us gaining the upper hand. We started when you left this morning and stopped just a few minutes ago, ending our taijutsu duel in a draw. We are both too tired to continue with ninjutsu." Kakashi looked back over at me and met my smile with one of his hidden ones. Gai said,

"Lyra, was it? Well I hope your elemental affinity isn't earth, because Kakashi will best you with his lightning moves!" I smiled at Gai and his energy and replied,

"I think I will be able to hold my own in ninjutsu too, that is where my strongest skills lie." I looked over and met Kakashi's eye, meeting the same fire that I had in my eyes at the thought of sparring with this matched partner again. Kakashi said,

"It looks like we won't be able to test our skills again tonight; all three of us look fatigued and famished. Gai, Lyra was thinking of making a beef and vegetable stew, would you care to join us?" I smiled at the thought of cooking and eating with these two kind men. _One energetic and excited, the other smooth and calm._ _Both of them good friends._ I looked up at Gai and smiled.

"My skills in taijutsu are alright, but my prowess in cooking exceeds all!" I proclaimed. Gai threw out a thumbs up and exclaimed with gusto,

"Alright! To the market!"

* * *

**Kakashi's POV**

Kakashi entered the village's market with Gai and Lyra. The market was lit up and full of people partying and going out to dinner and drinking and dancing in bars. The trio walked over to the meat vendor and asked him for fresh beef.

"Fresh beef of the best quality! And at a discount for you serving shinobi," said the vendor to the three ninjas. Kakashi made to reach for his pouch to grab some money when Lyra spoke up.

"How much for two pounds?" Lyra reached into her pouch and took out a small coin pouch. The vendor told her the amount and she opened the tiny bag and slipped her fingers into it. Then her hand. Then her wrist. She stuck her entire forearm into a tiny coin pouch, startling Kakashi and making him blink twice. Lyra pulled her arm out of the bag with a handful of money and paid the vendor with a generous tip. She looked over at her two companions staring at her bag and she smiled.

"I put a permanent teleportation seal inside this pouch. When I reach my hand into it, my hand actually enters a larger bag the size of a barrel that is physically far away but is connected through this teleportation portal. This way I can carry all of my belongings when I travel in a tiny bag, making trips much lighter and more efficient." Kakashi and Gai stared at her, not quite believing what she said. She opened the bag and pointed the opening for Kakashi and Gai to see. Kakashi peered into the tiny coin pouch to see the bottom of the bag look two feet away instead of two inches. _What an ingenious idea,_ Kakashi thought.

He looked up from the bag to look at Lyra's face, trying to comprehend the immense power and intelligence this woman possessed. He looked at her flowing orange and red mane of hair that she had untied from her bun that had shined brighter than the sun during the day. It flowed in slight waves down to her waste, and was quite voluminous, reminding him of a mane of a lion. She was almost as tall as him, and Kakashi was relatively tall, making her a tall woman. Redheads usually had fair skin, but she was sun-tanned from experience and travel outside. She wore plain tight brown shorts that accentuated her wide hips and a plain tight brown shirt with straps that accentuated her smaller top. She wore a belt that held two standard ninja pouches and a worn Leaf headband tied around her slim waist. She had a weapon pouch strapped to each thigh and her boots looked travel worn. She wore a couple of piercings on each ear and a colorful bracelet that looked to be made of some sort of scales. Her tanned skin made her light grey eyes shine bright when they came up to meet his, and he saw a deep kindness and understanding from within their depths as she smiled at him. _So different from the raging Sex Goddess I took home last night._ Kakashi looked down at the woman standing in front of him and found himself smiling back, which he wondered why since no one could see his mouth. However, Lyra seemed to know what Kakashi was feeling with just the sight of his one eye.

_I have known this girl for only a day and I feel as if she knows all of my secrets._ Kakashi still wondered at the exciting sight of her blocking and dodging all of his blows without fail, and the rhythm they created between the two matched dueling partners was unlike any other. _And she has mastered Senjutsu… Who is Lyra?_ _Where does she come from?_ Kakashi wondered at his new friend's past, his cautious side preventing him from completely trusting her. She had proven she didn't want to cause him or Gai harm, but Kakashi could never be too cautious when it came to someone as powerful as Lyra. Kakashi realized that she had asked him a question and was patiently waiting for an answer. She looked up at him, her questioning face wondering at what he was thinking. Kakashi asked,

"I'm sorry Lyra, what did you say?" Lyra responded,

"I was wondering where I could buy some vegetables and spices," Lyra explained, looking eager to cook. Kakashi realized how hungry he was too.

"Over here, I know a vendor who will also give us a discount," Kakashi replied. He led Gai and Lyra to another vendor, and Lyra again insisted on paying for the food and ingredients.

"It's my way of saying thank you for letting me train with you today. Let me cook you a nice meal," she explained, giving Kakashi and Gai another kind smile. She thanked the vendor and looked over eagerly at Kakashi and his rival. "I'm ready to cook!" she exclaimed, pocketing her purchased food into one of her larger bags on her belt that also had the teleportation portal. Kakashi nodded at her enthusiasm, equally hungry. He and Gai taking the lead, they led Lyra to Kakashi's house and walked up to his door. Upon entering his house, Kakashi realized how dirty they were from a day of training. He looked over to his friends and said,

"Lyra, can you start the stew? I am going to take a quick shower." He saw her nod, and then she furrowed her brow, making her look a few years younger. Kakashi could almost read what she was thinking on her face, and he smiled under his mask. "You two can shower as well. I'll be right back." Kakashi left them in his kitchen and walked to his room to shower. He undressed slowly, muscles aching from the extended use of the day's hard training with Lyra. Kakashi reviewed the events of today and last night in his head, trying to make sense of it all.

_Kakashi slammed her against the wall, pushing his hard body up against her soft curves. He had her trapped against him, this crazed, drunk woman, this incredibly sexy woman who was driving him mad with lust…_

"_Chapter 7, huh? Good chapter. My favorite…" she whispered slowly in his ear, her very voice awakening something animal inside him, making him need to push against her harder. His hands trailed up and down her perfect figure, his face buried in her neck, inhaling her exotic scent. "You want to know my favorite part?" She asked him seductively, making him pull back to get a look at her beautiful features. Her shining eyes were swimming in lust; her need showing so visibly, Kakashi believed he wouldn't be able to wait any longer before taking her. She slowly licked her full red lips, half of her mouth lifted in a cocky half-smile as she regarded a heavily aroused Kakashi. Everything she did made Kakashi need her more, and he felt his will completely break when she lightly trailed a thin finger down his chest to the edge of his pants. Her half-smile still up, she leaned in to whisper in his ear again. "Well, how about I just show you?" _

Kakashi shook his head, not quite believing that woman was the same one cooking in his kitchen right now. The woman he met in the morning was practically a different person, who was polite and kind and _embarrassed._ The woman last night was anything but embarrassed.

Plus this woman matched Kakashi in taijutsu, mastered senjutsu, can use medical jutsu, and is apparently capable in ninjutsu. _Who is Lyra?_

Kakashi turned on the shower and stepped inside, relaxing his tired muscles in the hot water. He took his mask off and breathed in deeply. Kakashi washed himself and had just turned off the shower when he heard a knock on the bathroom door.

"Hm?" Kakashi answered, grabbing a fresh mask and shaking out his wet hair. He heard the door open and a shy Lyra peeked inside. She saw him in a towel and she blushed, she had a wooden spoon in her hand. _She looks cute when she blushes._ Kakashi blinked. _How can someone look so innocent and also look so seductive? And be so deadly?_ She asked,

"Where can I find a big pot? I cut everything up and now I just need to put it all together. I looked around in your cupboards, do you have anything bigger?" She seemed to have gathered her wits, because she now looked at him politely. Kakashi stepped towards her until she had to look up at him. Her eyebrows raised, she waited for an answer. He smiled down at his new friend and took the spoon from her small fingers.

"I can take over, I keep a large pot under the sink," he responded. "You can shower now if you'd like." Lyra smiled back and she nodded, looking eager to be clean. Kakashi walked around her to reach the door to his bedroom and left her in his bathroom. He changed into a comfortable tight sleeveless shirt and loose pants. He looked back at the door of his bathroom thoughtfully, hearing the water being turned on again. Kakashi walked to his kitchen and continued making the stew, making light talk with Gai. Gai seemed just as interested about Lyra and her origin, but they both concluded she wasn't an immediate threat to the village. _Why does she have a Leaf headband? I know most of the shinobi here and I have never seen her before last night._ Kakashi and Gai cooked the stew, the smell of the meat and vegetables heating up the room with a comfortable aroma. Lyra came bursting in to the kitchen all clean and in a similar set of clothes as before, except this time in navy blue. She flew over to the stew and looked over at Kakashi and Gai with a grin on her face.

"It's time for the spices!" she announced, pulling an unimaginable amount of bottles of varying sizes and colors from her teleportation pouch and setting them all on the counter. Kakashi and Gai watched her as she mixed in varying spices and deemed it ready to cook. She set it on the stove and turned it on. Kakashi noticed her hand reaching towards the burner, her hand alight with flame. She heated up the burner with her own fire, making the stew cook twice as fast. Gai got up to go shower, leaving Kakashi alone with Lyra. Kakashi went to sit at the table, looking over at Lyra in the kitchen. Lyra began to return all of her spices to her bag when Kakashi spoke up.

"So you have a fire affinity?" Lyra looked over at him and gave him an uncertain smile. She looked down and deliberated something for a few seconds. She looked up at him and met his eye to see it full of kindness and patience. Lyra opened her mouth and began,

"I will tell you something you won't believe but is the truth." Kakashi raised his eyebrows, but his expression was still kind and patient towards her. He had no reason to think Lyra was lying. Lyra gave a small smile and said, "My first memory as a child is being alone in a forest and being cold," she began. "I grew up an orphan so I have no one to ask what I was like before my memories. But I remember feeling so cold in the dark of night that I wanted the light of the sun to warm me. So I imagined having the sun's warmth in my hands. I made fire," Lyra continued to pack up her spices, her face thoughtful and serious. "My next memory came right after that, when I was thirsty. I remembered drinking water from a river flowing with water, and I imagined spouting water from my mouth. I made water. Next I felt the sturdy earth under me, and the wind blowing around me." Lyra looked over at Kakashi with a sober expression, searching his face. "The next day I felt the spark of lightning that occurs inside you when you meet a new person." Lyra paused and leaned against the counter. "I had all five elements from the beginning, and I am equally powerful in all of them." She looked down thoughtfully in remembrance while Kakashi tried to comprehend someone born with all five elements. Lyra spoke again. "I have been trying to combine them to discover new styles," Lyra mused, "Like earth and water created Wood style, and the Ice style is formed by combining water and wind. I got close to completing a Lava style by combing fire and earth, but my experimentation was a bit dangerous." Kakashi saw Lyra give a slight smile at a memory, but she quickly recovered and looked over at him, meeting his eye. "I know it sounds like a lie, but I can prove it to you if we train again together." Kakashi watched Lyra's eyes light up at the thought of training, and Kakashi was equally excited to fight and grow next to Lyra's matched prowess. Kakashi spoke.

"You don't have to prove anything to me; you showed me today you are someone I can trust." Lyra's face relaxed and she gave Kakashi such a heartwarming smile, he felt something move deep inside him. _ Who is this woman who can make me feel so connected to her?_

"Thank you for being such a wonderful friend to me, Kakashi," Lyra smiled at him again, and Kakashi felt himself smile back. _Such sincerity and innocence… How is this the same person who…_ Kakashi replied,

"It was my pleasure, Lyra. I have never met such a good training partner before." Lyra's eyes lit up at the thought of our fight today, the perfect balance of energy and strength and speed shared between two bodies. _A lot like last night…_

"Would you like to train again sometime?" Lyra asked hopefully, her enthusiasm making her look even more attractive. Kakashi felt himself smile at the thought of sparring with this perfect partner again.

"I would," Kakashi replied, causing Lyra to smile again. "I may already trust and believe you, but I would love to see more of your abilities in person," Kakashi said. "Taijutsu, Senjutsu, Medical jutsu, Ninjutsu… Are you also capable in Genjutsu?" Kakashi asked, interested. Lyra frowned, replying,

"Not at all. Genjutsu is my weakness…" Lyra turned towards the stove to stir the stew. "I can repel and release all but the most powerful genjutsus, but I can't even cast a simple one." Lyra hid her face with a veil of hair, and Kakashi recognized this as a sign that she was embarrassed.

"You make up for it in your other abilities, Lyra. And if you can defend yourself from genjutsu, that's all that matters," Kakashi reassured her, surprising both Lyra and himself. Lyra looked over at him and met his dark eye with her light grey ones, giving Kakashi another heartwarming smile that made him… _feel_. _What is happening?_ Kakashi looked over to see his rival enter the kitchen from his room, cleanly dressed and excited as ever.

"Lyra! That stew smells heavenly! What spices did you use?" Gai walked over to the stove and peered in, deeply inhaling and expressing his delight. Lyra laughed, a light and sing-song sound that lightened the already light mood in the room. She smiled and replied,

"Oh, just a little this and that I have found on my travels. I used my favorite combination tonight for you two, so I hope you enjoy." She stirred the stew and announced, "It should be ready now, let's eat up!" The trio all got bowls and cups for their drinks, passing around silverware. Lyra and Gai went to sit at the table and Kakashi stood at the counter, all three of them eagerly digging into the filling food. The taste exploded in Kakashi's mouth, filling his being with energy and delight. He looked behind him to see Lyra smiling and Gai shoveling in the food, to which Lyra teased him for it. Before long, Gai had challenged Lyra to an eating contest and the two were shoveling food in and running to get more. Kakashi chuckled at the merry sight of his rival finding his match in eating contests, to which the lean and slim Lyra was holding her own. Before long, the three sat down heavily together on the couch in the living room, reveling in their full stomachs and enjoying each others' companies in the warm atmosphere. After a bit of light talk, Gai stood to leave.

"It was so nice meeting you, Lyra, and thank you for the stew! I will beat you next time we have an eating contest!" Lyra laughed her beautiful laugh again, and said her goodbyes to Gai. Kakashi stood to see Gai out of his house and said with a smile towards his rival,

"See you later, Gai. Have a nice night."

"You too, Kakashi." With that he bounded off into the village, returning to his own house. Kakashi returned to the living room to see Lyra no longer on the couch. He looked up as his bedroom door opened and Lyra came through. She caught his eye and asked,

"May I borrow a book? I have been looking everywhere for this edition and I saw it in your bookcase…" she walked towards him and showed him an edition of Icha Icha. Kakashi smiled at his favorite series, and then remembered it was a graphic sex novel. He looked down at Lyra and chuckled, seeing a slight blush caress her face.

"Sure, I'm sure you will enjoy it," Kakashi replied, enjoying the intensified blush coming from Lyra's cheeks. She looked up at him with a half-smile and said with a light chuckle,

"I need to stop denying myself my favorite genre," she looked down at the book and leafed through the pages thoughtfully.

"I would have to agree. It's a good genre," Kakashi responded. "You will get branded by the other villagers as a pervert, however," he said with a chuckle. "But they wouldn't be entirely wrong…" Lyra looked up at him, her eyebrows raised at the tease. She glared at him and smiled, replying,

"Well, we perverts should stick together. Strength in numbers," she smiled, opening the book to page one. Her eyes widened after reading the second line, and she looked up at Kakashi watching her with a smile. He nodded in understanding, and got his own edition out to start reading. The two sat together on the couch, each reading their own graphic novel, comfortably clean and full of warm food, both of their muscles pleasantly sore from the day of training. As time worn on and neither felt like changing their comfortable company, Lyra scooted over and stretched her feet out to lie on Kakashi's lap, and he rest an arm on her legs as he too got in a more comfortable position. Kakashi paused once in his engrossed reading when he realized how comfortable he was with this person beside him. He glanced over at Lyra to see her engrossed in her own novel, a frown forming on her brow as she entered a tension filled part. Kakashi relaxed even more, feeling completely pleasant with this person beside him on his couch, in the small hours of the morning. This comfort eased him, and he felt a wave of sleepiness overcome him as he relaxed even more next to the warm body of his friend. He looked over at her again when he felt he was about fall asleep to see her own eyes closed and her breathing regular, a small smile parting her lips on her peace-filled face. Kakashi closed his eyes and eased into a comfortable sleep next to his newest friend.


	3. New Roommate

**This chapter has a bit of backstory, but it is just to set up for the future chapters.**

**I have my own original stuff in here but well it will all make sense later on.**

**Oh and slight warning about a little violence.**

**Thank you for reading. :)**

* * *

_Kakashi slouched on the barstool, leaning lazily on the counter in the local bar. With one hand, he swished his drink, wishing sake didn't cost so much. He took out his book and opened it to a page, not really sure why he was alone at a bar in the first place. _I guess even a single, closet pervert gets lonely sometimes_, Kakashi thought as he drank his consciousness away. He was in an interesting part when a stranger came and sat next to him at the bar. A strange scent made Kakashi look up at the stranger, and he laid his lazy eyes upon an exotic looking young woman. Her scent was a mix of fresh spring water and earth, with a spice of something. She smelled like nature. Kakashi watched out of the corner of his eye as she ordered a big drink and immediately started to down it. His own consciousness riddled with alcohol, Kakashi noticed this strange woman's lean figure lean against the bar and rest her head in her hand. Kakashi couldn't help but notice her attractive frame, with her wide hips narrowing off into her slim waist just to curve outwards again for her medium-sized chest. Kakashi blinked, trying to mentally shake this side of him away and he turned back to his book._

"_That book you have there has to be my favorite edition of Icha Icha." Kakashi's eyebrows rose and he looked up from his book to meet the strong gaze of the woman next to him. Kakashi noticed a slight blush dust her high cheekbones, but his attention was caught by her deep, silver eyes. _

"_I'm liking it so far, it's a good series," Kakashi replied to the stranger. He then remembered it was a graphic novel. "You…know of this series?"_

"_Icha Icha has to be one of my favorites, for sure," the woman replied to him, taking another large drink from her glass. Kakashi noticed her slim fingers trail the top of her glass, her radiant eyes staring off into the distance, deep in thought. She took another gulp and looked over at him again, her expression changed into a more confident look. "What chapter are you on?"Her question was direct, her gaze intense from the sake. Kakashi felt his eyebrows rise again._

"_Well, I'm in Chapter seven," Kakashi replied warily, unused to talking about his private genre with women. He watched her own eyebrows rise, her intrigued expression highlighting the way her flaming hair framed her beautiful face. Her mouth lifted into a half-smile as she thought about something. Her deep eyes looked up to meet his, and her smile curled into a sexy smirk. Kakashi blinked, trying to reign in his loose thoughts as this attractive woman leaned a little closer to Kakashi. _

"_Chapter seven…" she smiled slyly at a memory. "Chapter seven of this edition has to be the most _interesting_ chapter in the entire series," she looked over at his book with admiration in her drunken eyes, and Kakashi could relate to her appreciation for literature. Especially his kind of literature. She picked up her glass and finished it off, signaling the bartender for another one. The bartender looked down her chest as he handed her the drink and winked at her, to which she raised her eyebrows and drank a big gulp of the alcohol. Kakashi, in his own drunken state, couldn't stop his eyes from wandering over her alluring form in his laid- back gaze, and he met her knowledgeable eyes and her cocky half-smile when she realized she had his attention. _Well, I have no better way to spend tonight._ Kakashi leaned towards her and spoke with his own confidence._

"_I'd appreciate you not spoiling it for me." He looked down into her shining eyes with his own serious expression, and she smiled a mischievous smile, making Kakashi's eyebrows rise. _

"_Oh, but the ending when she tells him that she can't wait to…" Kakashi quickly moved a hand and rested it on her leg, involuntarily stopping her. She stopped, but she didn't look surprised. Her half-smile was up, and she looked to be plotting. "Well, I don't know how I can stay quite about my favorite chapter when it has such good content," she shrugged innocently, but the fact that they were talking about Make out Paradise made her sweet innocence look ironic. Kakashi felt himself smile under his mask as the alcohol kicked in and he resisted the urge to run his hand up her slender leg. Kakashi looked up in time to see her lean in closer to him and entrap him in her silver pools. _

"_I may need a little more convincing to stay quite about my favorite chapter." Kakashi's eye involuntarily widened at her approach and her expression turned even sexier by her confidence allowing her to stare into his eye with the challenge. Kakashi's hand wandered up her smooth leg on its own accord, the young woman half-smiling her cocky grin at his acceptance. Kakashi gave up trying to fight the attraction he felt for this intriguing woman and he looked back into her deep eyes with an amused expression. He almost flinched when he felt cool, slim fingers touch his wrist that was resting on her upper thigh. Her thin fingers slowly wound their way under his glove and brushed his warm palm with their cool tips, making him shiver slightly. Kakashi's eye unable to look away from her mesmerizing, cocky smile, he felt himself intake a small breath when she leaned in even closer to him to whisper in his ear. She took her time, her enticing, exotic body only inches from Kakashi's chest._

"_I'm about to start spoiling, so you had better start stopping me."_

* * *

Kakashi lazily opened an eye, becoming aware of the world after waking up from a comfortable sleep. The room he was in was bright from the sunshine, so he closed his eye and brought a hand up to rub his face. He felt a weight on his chest, making him open his eye again to look down at the woman sleeping on him, her face peaceful. _Lyra_.

Kakashi looked around and remembered he had fallen asleep on the couch in his living room with this new friend, both of them reading graphic novels. Kakashi blinked as the memories of the past 48 hours flood into his mind. He looked down at his sleeping friend again to see her eyes slowly open. Her grey eyes hooded by her long brown eyelashes, she blinked a few times. Kakashi watched Lyra yawn a monstrous yawn and stretch out her arms. She too opened her eyes suddenly when she realized she wasn't alone and looked up to meet Kakashi's amused eye.

"Huh…?" Lyra groaned groggily, trying to comprehend her own situation. "Sorry…" she murmured as she crawled off of Kakashi and proceeded to fall off of the small couch. "Oof!" Lyra grunted, surprising Kakashi. Kakashi's eyes wide, he chuckled at his disoriented friend as she tried to wake up and gather her surroundings. He watched as her messy orange head peeked up to look at him over the edge of the couch from the floor. He met her sleepy eyes and he involuntarily gave her a smile, which she returned.

"Good morning," she said, crawling back up on the couch after Kakashi had sat up to give her room. Kakashi 'Hn'ed back at her, closing his eye and breathing in deeply to awaken his senses. He opened his eye to look over at Lyra to see her rubbing her eyes and then stretch her arms and legs, reminding him of a cat. She smiled, her eyes closed, content to sit there with the morning sun shining through the window. Kakashi continued to watch her as she opened her light grey eyes that shone silver with the sunlight and look over back at him with an amused expression. She asked,

"Did we just have… a Two-Night Stand?" Kakashi's eyebrows lifted at the question and she looked down at a thought. "Because I've had plenty of One-Night Stands before, but this is the first time I slept at a guy's place two nights in a row," she looked up apologetically and half-smiled her apology. Kakashi's eye closed as he chuckled at the thought, and responded,

"Well, this is the first time the girl I brought home turned out to be a good training partner. And a good friend." Lyra smiled a warm smile at him, and then looked excited.

"I'm still a bit sore from yesterday's spar, but I am ready to train again whenever," she smiled off into the distance, probably remembering the heated duel the two had the day before, just as Kakashi did. _Her punches and kicks so fast, I would have had no hope keeping up with her without my Sharingan. Her ability to thwart my strategies, to find my weaknesses in a matter of seconds. _Kakashi realized that he admired this strange kunoichi for her skills and intellect. He also realized that he knew almost nothing about her past. He looked at her and responded,

"I want to train with ninjutsu, but we should be well rested to ensure our safety for that." _Two powerful shinobi could accidentally kill each other with advanced jutsu._ Lyra nodded in agreement. Kakashi watched her look around his room and alight on the picture frame he had on the small table next to the couch.

"Is this your team?" Lyra asked him interestedly, carefully picking up the frame and inspecting it closer. Kakashi looked at the picture of his old Team 7 and a part of him became serious. He responded,

"Yes, they were the genin I was placed in charge of, about five years ago." He looked down and closed his eyes thoughtfully. He continued, "Naruto, the one in orange, has been off training under another teacher for about two years now. He's probably much more powerful than he was when this picture was taken." Kakashi smiled at the thought of his energetic and unpredictable student. "Sakura is still here in the village, and she is under the teachings of the fifth Hokage herself." Kakashi looked over at Lyra and was surprised to see her brow furrowed into a slight frown. She looked up at him and said,

"And Uchiha Sasuke, Itachi's brother. I remember them." Kakashi's eyebrows rose, his caution involuntarily rising. _She remembers them?_ Lyra looked troubled and asked, "What happened to him?" Kakashi sighed and he closed his eye, thinking about his last teammate.

"Sasuke left the village, in revenge… He is now under the enemy Orochimaru's teaching." Kakashi felt his shoulders slightly slump and he sighed again, the familiar feeling of guilt rising up when he thought of his lost student. Kakashi felt a light hand rest on his shoulder and he looked up to see Lyra's comforting eyes. He couldn't completely feel comforted, however. _Who is Lyra?_ Lyra seemed to sense his caution and she looked into the distance and gathered her thoughts for a moment, somehow knowing Kakashi wanted answers. She closed her eyes, also taking a deep breath, and explained,

"I was in the same class as your students when we entered the Academy." Kakashi's eye widened, simply not believing what she said. _She looks to be in her early twenties at the least! There is no way she is only 16 or 17…_ Lyra looked up and gave Kakashi a knowing half-smile, somehow reading his thoughts. "Don't worry; you didn't take a minor home with you two nights ago." Kakashi just sat there, waiting for Lyra to explain as she frowned again. Her expression completely serious, she looked up at him and sighed.

"I was made a jounin a couple years after joining the Acadamy. We were so young, my classmates don't remember me. Soon after Itachi…" she looked down with a sad expression. "Soon after the Uchiha incident, I was made an Anbu." Without looking up, she lifted her sleeve and showed Kakashi her tattoo, the symbol of the Anbu. Kakashi could barely comprehend what he was hearing, but Lyra continued. "I was given secret missions of infiltration and espionage that could only be done by a young girl, and I served the Leaf like this for a few years." She looked up and stared out of the window, lost in memory. "Lord Danzo eventually gave me an assassination mission. I had killed my fair share before this time in battle, but this mission required me to brutally mutilate and kill an innocent man…in front of his family." Lyra looked down again and closed her eyes. "It was to incite a riot by his followers, and that would in some way indirectly support the Leaf." Kakashi watched her frown in guilt and embarrassment. "I failed that mission by cleanly killing him in the dark of night, when all was at peace. I failed that mission because I couldn't bring myself to do the dark deed that was entrusted to me by my superiors." Her fists clenched, showing her frustration in her failure. "I was released from the Anbu then, and was brought before the Third Hokage." Lyra wouldn't meet Kakashi's eye. _What a horrible mission to give to a child. From my own experiences in the Anbu, I never would have imagined Lyra serving under the mask._ Kakashi spoke seriously.

"When I served in the Anbu, I once heard Lord Danzo say that it required you to have a certain darkness inside the heart. I have fought with you, cooked and eaten with you, and even slept with you. I haven't seen any darkness in yours." Lyra looked up into Kakashi's face, and he could see her gratitude but also her regret in not being able to complete a mission. He understood that. "Not having darkness in your heart is certainly not a bad thing." Lyra smiled a sad smile at him, silently thanking him.

"It was after I returned from that mission when the weirdness started." Lyra's face seemed amused at a memory. _Weirdness? _She looked up at Kakashi and studied his face for a bit, thinking deeply about something. Kakashi looked back at his mysterious, powerful new friend and waited patiently. She half-smiled her half-smile and seemed to have decided on something. "You won't believe me unless I show you." She sat up and Kakashi could feel her build up a little bit of chakra. Much to Kakashi's surprise, Lyra performed a summoning jutsu, right there, sitting next to him on his couch.

"Kucheyose no jutsu!" Kakashi started, eye widened and full of surprise. Once the smoke had lifted, Kakashi witnessed something he would never forget.

There, sitting on Lyra's outstretched arm, perched like a bird, was a small, red dragon.

"LYRA!" the beast shouted angrily in a gravelly, male voice. The small dragon looked around at her and blew a puff of smoke towards her face.

"Hey, Fireball," Lyra smiled at the dragon. Kakashi sat next to them completely dumbfounded.

"_You_! I've been calling to you to summon me for what? A _week_ now? How long were you going to ignore me?" The dragon asked Lyra in an annoyed voice. Kakashi blinked. Lyra rolled her eyes.

"Fireball, all you want from me is alcohol. Which I won't be giving you. I may have a drinking problem but it is nothing compared to yours." Lyra looked at the dragon with her half-smile. The dragon slumped on her arm and blew another puff of smoke.

"I thought we were the notorious drinking duo! With you gone I've all but lost my reputation." Lyra laughed, looking genuinely happy and at ease. The dragon looked around the room and stared at Kakashi with intelligent eyes. Kakashi looked back at him, blinking, trying to understand what he was seeing.

"You got yourself a new guy, I see. This one treating you alright?" The tiny dragon met Kakashi's eye and opened its jaw a centimeter, letting Kakashi see fire escape from his sharp toothed muzzle. Kakashi's eye widened even more, and he tore his gaze from the miniature flaming winged lizard to stare at Lyra's amused, calm face. She spoke,

"Fireball, this is my friend, Kakashi. Kakashi, Fireball." Kakashi was about to say something when the dragon turned on Lyra and growled at her with a deep sound that didn't seem to fit the small, scaly body it was coming from.

"My name is not Fireball, Lyra! This nickname you gave me has spread around and now no one uses my real one." Lyra laughed at the worked up dragon light-heartedly.

"Lyra is the nickname you gave me, and everyone uses that one too. It's only fair, my sweet, little Fireball-kun," she crooned, making the already flustered dragon snort and accidentally shoot a mini fireball out of his mouth and hit the wall, leaving an ash mark. Lyra laughed again, the sweet sound the only thing keeping Kakashi from losing it.

"Damn it, Lyra! The gang has been wondering how you are, I'll let them know you made it back to your Leafy Village alright." The dragon looked over at Kakashi again, and Kakashi saw an unexpected wisdom, intelligence, experience, and also humor in the deep red eyes of the perching lizard. "Kakashi, was it? My Lyra here is a good friend; I don't want to see her getting hurt." The red dragon shuffled on Lyra's arm, stretching his wings while keeping eye contact with Kakashi. Gathering his wits, Kakashi replied,

"I agree. Though, I doubt I could hurt her even if I tried." Lyra smiled her thanks to Kakashi but rolled her eyes at Fireball.

"Fireball, we swore off dating, remember? Kakashi is my new training partner. We are completely matched in Taijutsu; it's so exhilarating. You should see us fight sometime," Fireball seemed to perk up at the sound of fighting, his long tail swishing back and forth. He looked at Kakashi again, his interest showing as he cocked his head to the side. He looked back at Lyra and replied,

"Alright, call me when you train. I promise I won't steal your booze next time!" And with that, the red dragon disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Kakashi blinked and looked over at Lyra. She still had a slight smile on her face when she looked back at him. Kakashi blinked again, trying to recover, and asked in a whisper,

"Dragons?" He searched her face and found her only reaction to his question was a small smile. She said,

"I was released from the Anbu around the time your team was formed. I was training by myself, deep in the woods surrounding the village when Fireball first approached me." Kakashi watched Lyra as she got up off of the couch and walked over to the kitchen. "Needless to say, I was pretty surprised when I met my first dragon. He told me that his kind was interested in me and that I had a place to go if I wanted to train under them and become strong." Lyra brought a paper towel over to the couch and began cleaning the ash mark the summoned dragon had left on the wall. "I asked the Third about this, and he was just as surprised as me. He told me to go and investigate the land of the Dragons, and return when my training was complete. I did as he asked, and left the village on this mission for an unknown amount of time." Kakashi watched as a sad expression spread across her face. "I regret not being here to protect the village when the Third died." Lyra finished cleaning and sat down next to Kakashi again. "The land that the Dragons reside in is impossible to reach by human means. It is a large island in the south sea, farther away than any ship would travel." Lyra paused to gather her thoughts.

She looked up at Kakashi and told him seriously, "We know in Physics that time is not constant. Time is relative, and can be easily sped up or slowed down when you have the speed necessary. For some unknown reason, the island that the Dragons live on has a different… time rate than the rest of the world." Lyra looked down at her lap and frowned. "I spent a whole day on the island, and when I left, only a couple hours had passed in the rest of the world." Kakashi stared at her, uncharacteristically in shock, trying to understand the concepts she was presenting. Lyra leaned back on the couch, looking over at Kakashi. "After I had completed my first year of training on that strange island, the Dragons permitted me to return to the mainland. I had lived for a year on that island, but to the rest of the world, it had only been a couple of months." Lyra paused in her story and looked down, seemingly lost in memory.

_Is what she says plausible? Could she really have grown up here in Konoha 16 years ago but spent years on a relatively time changed island that resulted in this age time-skip? _Kakashi shook his head slightly, eye closing in deep thought. _I just met a __**dragon **__today._ Kakashi looked up to meet the sober eyes of his new friend. She looked up at him earnestly, wanting to know what he was thinking. They sat close together on the small couch that they had fallen asleep on last night, inches between them. This person who sat next to him had sparred with him to the point of utter exhaustion, cooked for him and slept next to him. Kakashi realized that even after hearing her bizarre story and seeing a mythical dragon on his couch today, he still trusted her. _Why do I trust her? _Kakashi looked back at her, hiding his thoughts with his trademark emotionless gaze. _Why do I feel comfortable around her?_ Lyra continued.

"Finally, I returned here two nights ago, since I had completed my training after the six or so years I had been away. On the island, though, my training lasted for almost double that time. I met Lady Tsunade and reported to her about my mission." Lyra brought a hand up to rub her forehead, looking serious after telling her life story. _Lady Tsunade knows about her and her mission and has allowed her to stay in the village. _Kakashi felt himself relax, trusting in his Hokage's judgment and content that it matched his instincts about Lyra. Lyra looked up at Kakashi in determination and patience, prepared to prove herself if it was needed. She met Kakashi's relaxed expression and could sense the smile he had hidden under his mask before Kakashi even could. Her face relaxed and she smiled back at him. Kakashi spoke up.

"That is quite a story, Lyra. Thank you for telling me." Lyra relaxed even more, hearing his sincerity, and let out a big sigh. "You caught me off guard with your summoning, though. I didn't know dragons existed. And that dragon was not anything I would expect if I were to meet one." Lyra smiled at the mention of her dragon.

"Fireball is an interesting dragon, that's for sure. He's the easiest to summon because he's the smallest. But he has the biggest attitude," Lyra chuckled, getting up from the couch again.

"That must be why you two get along so nicely," Kakashi said aloofly, making Lyra turn around and look at him with raised eyebrows on her way to the kitchen. She then glared at him with a smile and looked over to the fridge.

"I am absolutely starving. Do you mind if I make some omelettes?" She asked Kakashi after seeing eggs and bacon in his fridge. She looked over at him hopefully and Kakashi chuckled deeply at her cute expression. _What an appetite_.

"Go ahead. I'm hungry as well," Kakashi responded, also getting up from the couch to join her at the counter. He helped mix the eggs as she cut up meat and vegetables. He felt comfortable doing everyday tasks like making breakfast next to this strange woman despite the outlandish things about her, and he wondered why. Lyra breathed in deeply when she held a handful of fresh spinach and sighed dramatically, her eyes closed.

"Oh, how I've missed greens. Dragons are carnivorous. Fireball would get on my ass if he saw me now and go on about how I'm about to eat 'cow food'." Kakashi glanced over at her with an amused smile, surprised at how contagious her light and happy attitude was. They continued to cook breakfast together, the silence between them not awkward or forced, but simply relaxed. They both prepared their omelettes and ate at opposite counters like the previous morning, Lyra moaning in delight at their tasty breakfast and Kakashi silently agreeing with her. When they finished, Lyra washed the dishes and Kakashi dried, the small and insignificant task highlighting the teamwork and bond they had gained just from a day of training and getting to know each other. When they finished, Kakashi walked to sit at the table, pulling out his Icha Icha and flipping to a page. Lyra joined him and pulled out the novel he had lent her and they relaxed in comfortable company for a while as the morning sun rose up. Lyra broke the silence with a question.

"Do you know any good landowners around here with an open apartment?" Kakashi paused in his reading to consider her question. He looked up at her to meet her soft eyes as they looked back at him questioningly.

"I can't think of any. The village just recently finished being rebuilt from the destruction a couple years ago. I haven't seen any rooms up in the market," Kakashi replied. Lyra's brow furrowed, deep in thought at her situation. Kakashi thought of something then.

_What if I let her stay here?_ _She's a friend who needs a place to stay. _Kakashi blinked at his own thought. _Why would she trust me? I took her home with me two nights ago. And I wasn't exactly gentle…_ Kakashi looked over to see her preoccupied face deep in thought. Memories from that night flooded into his mind. _Well, she wasn't gentle either._

_I might as well ask. What I said to that dragon was true; I probably couldn't hurt her even if I tried._

"You can stay here for a while if you want," Kakashi said indifferently, focused on his book. He felt her surprise next to him and he stared at the lines in front of him.

"Really?" she asked him, her surprise making him glance up at her. Kakashi closed his eye and crinkled his eyes in a smile towards her in response. She said, "I can cover half the bills and I am relatively clean." Kakashi opened his eye and raised his eyebrows at her in amusement, responding,

"Well, if you are only _relatively_ clean, I don't know about it then…" Lyra smiled at his tease, and rolled her eyes, the light catching and making them shine, like her smile.

"Everything I own is in my packs, so I wouldn't dump a bunch of crap into your space. And I actually _am_ a clean person, despite living with a rowdy crowd of winged beasts for half of my life," she half-smiled at him and Kakashi felt his own under his mask.

"I see, I see, ideal roommate material." He waved his hand in joking dismissal. "Raised by beasts and with the manners of one…" Kakashi ducked as she threw a punch at his face, chuckling at her reaction. He saw her glare at him and then her mouth formed into a smile again as she jumped over the table and tackled him. Surprise showing with his raised eyebrows; he blocked her next punch and tried to shove her off of him, his amusement at her playful fighting surprising him even more. He was already accustomed to her body from their duel the day before, as well as their time together two nights ago, as was she accustomed to his. Lyra laughed as Kakashi threw a playful punch to her stomach and she wrestled with him on the ground. He wondered at his enjoyment in this child-like behavior, but he involuntarily chuckled again when Lyra maneuvered her way on top of him and pinned him down, her crooked smile shining with triumph. Kakashi was looking up at Lyra straddling him, both of them jokingly fighting for dominance, his eyebrows raised in amusement when the door to his apartment opened.

"K-Kakashi s-sensei?!" Both Kakashi and Lyra's heads whipped around to look at the open door to see a bubble-gum pink haired girl look in in shock. Lyra quickly recovered and stood up off of Kakashi and brushed herself off, her blush reddening her cheeks. Kakashi sat up too, scratching the back of his head and chuckling at his flustered old student.

"Good morning, Sakura," he said from the floor of his kitchen as he watched her eyebrows rise even higher. "Can I help you?" Kakashi stood up and also brushed himself off, glancing at Lyra's red face and smiling.

"Umm…" Sakura's face was just as red as she peered into Kakashi's house at the strange young woman who had just previously been straddling her old sensei on the floor.

"Sakura, this is my friend, Lyra." He watched her swallow. "Lyra, my old student, Sakura." Lyra half-smiled her embarrassment towards Sakura and said,

"Hi, nice to meet you. Kakashi told me you are training under Lady Tsunade?" Sakura nodded once and peered back over at Kakashi, looking at the two in suspicion. She looked at Kakashi and said quickly,

"Lady Tsunade wanted to see you, Kakashi sensei." Kakashi nodded and replied,

"Thanks, I will report to her shortly." Sakura smiled a small smile, glanced at Lyra again, and slipped out of his apartment quickly, closing the door. Kakashi looked at the door and heard Lyra sigh next to him.

"First impressions are a bitch," she said lightly, smiling while rubbing the back of her neck. Kakashi nodded in agreement, and glanced over at his new roommate with a small smile. Lyra looked back at him and said,

"Lady Tsunade had told me that I could go over to the hospital and see if I can help anyone with my medical skills while I recover from my travels. I have a ton of chakra stored and it isn't doing anyone any help at the moment. Plus, I should probably get my name known in more places than a bar," she half-smiled over at him and Kakashi looked at her back. "I'll grab some chicken and rice from the market on the way home." Lyra walked back to the table and picked up her book and stored it into one of her pouches. She met Kakashi's eye with her soft ones. "Thanks again for sharing your roof, you're saving my ass." She smiled at him and walked out the door of his apartment, leaving Kakashi alone with his thoughts.

* * *

**Lyra's POV**

I finished healing the girl's arm when I felt her curious eyes upon me. I looked up with a smile and said,

"You should be fine now. Just be gentle with it for a couple weeks, and then you can go back to beating up the boys." I watched her sweet face light up and nod at me with a tentative smile and she ran over to her mother sitting in the waiting room. I was cleaning up the rags and towels I had used when I felt the mother approach the doorway. Her daughter was holding her hand. I looked up and met the mother's interested eyes.

"Thank you for healing my daughter. I haven't met you before, what was your name?"

"I'm Lyra, it's a pleasure to meet you two," I smiled at them both.

"Well, thank you again. Have a wonderful day," the mother waved at me and she and her daughter left the room. I finished cleaning and wiped the sweat from my forehead, glad I had been able to help some people today. I then felt a familiar pink-haired chakra approach the room I was in. I looked over to see Sakura's surprised face as she peered into the room. I smiled at her and said,

"Hey, Sakura," she looked at me and replied hesitantly,

"Hi… Lyra," I tried to smile a convincing innocent smile towards her. _Well I would probably feel weird towards a strange person I found sitting on top of my sensei, too._ She spoke up.

"You know medical jutsu?" She asked me interestedly, and I latched on to the conversation.

"Yes, I learned it a while back. Lady Tsunade vouched for my skills so I have been allowed to help people here." Sakura looked interested and said,

"Well thank you; more help is always welcome," she smiled more confidently at me, and I smiled at her back. I then felt a large disturbance among the chakra balance in the hospital, and I frowned.

"I think someone just got admitted and is in need of immediate surgery," I told Sakura as I walked towards the door. Her eyebrows rose, but she turned around quickly and led me through the winding halls until we made it to the emergency room. The tension was thick in the room, and the sobbing sound of a hysterical girl wasn't helping. A young boy, looking like a genin, was being carried slowly onto a table. Sakura and I approached him, the iron smell of blood thick in the air. My frown deepened when I saw the kunai sticking out of his chest. Sakura and I met each others' eyes and saw the calm determination medical ninjas needed when performing their work reflected in both of our eyes. I cut off his shirt carefully from around his wound and then got towels and utensils ready while Sakura tried to stop the bleeding. I looked over at the crying girl and walked over to her. I bent down in front of her and lightly grasped her shoulders, forcing her to look at my calm face.

"Everything is going to be fine, his condition is currently stable and he has a high chance of recovery." The girl wasn't listening to reason in her hysterical state of mind, so I stood up and firmly led her out of the emergency room and into the waiting room, offering calm reassurances along the way. I looked up to see a group of people approach us and take the girl's hand, allowing me to quickly return to the surgery. I saw Sakura frown in strain as she poured her healing chakra into the boy's chest, and I joined her and added my chakra. Together, we healed the lung and the rib the kunai had punctured and sowed his skin back together seamlessly. The entire process only took a few minutes from the combined strength of our chakras, but it felt like an hour. Sakura and I leaned back and wiped our foreheads, satisfied at the boy's stable state. I looked up from the boy's face when I felt Sakura looking at me, and I met her smile with my own.

"Thank you for the help, I never thought how much more efficient it would be having two medical ninjas work together instead of one," Sakura said to me, and I smiled over at her and nodded in agreement.

"I hope that girl is okay; she was quite distraught," I commented, looking over at the door to the waiting room.

"She should be fine; I think this genin's jounin was out there waiting for them." Sakura began to clean up the towels, and I joined her. We were finished in a few moments, and both of us sat down to recover from the chakra loss. I looked out the window and saw it was already getting dark.

"Wow, time flies by when you are busy helping people," I said, feeling my stomach growl at my missed lunch. I heard Sakura 'Hm' her agreement. I looked over at her and smiled. "It was a pleasure meeting you and saving a boy's life with you," I said lightly, and she looked over at me and reciprocated my smile.

"It was a pleasure to meet you too. I hope I see you around the hospital some more; we can always use the help." I nodded and stood up. I said my goodbyes to the pink-haired kunoichi and made my way out of the hospital, following my nose towards the bustling market. I bought chicken and rice and noodles from various vendors; learning names and being polite and nice to everyone I met. _Oh, how I've missed this crowded village. Crowded with_ people_, not dragons._ I still missed the mysterious mountain villages of the Dragon island, but there was something about being surrounded by your own species that made you feel at home. I made my way back to Kakashi's apartment with the food, eager to start cooking and eating. _I still can't believe he's letting me stay with him for a while. He's a good friend._ I could feel as soon as I walked up to the building that Kakashi wasn't there, however. I made my way up to his house, wondering where my new roommate was. I saw a note on the counter as I entered the kitchen, and I read the scrawling handwriting.

_L__yra,_

_Lady Tsunade gave me a short mission to the Hidden Rain, I should be back before morning. _

_Kakashi_

My eyebrows raised, I turned the stove on and prepared the meat. _Well, I guess I'll be eating alone tonight. I hope he's alright on that mission._ I cooked by myself, making all of the food I had bought and packing up half of it for Kakashi's leftovers since he should be returning tomorrow. I cleaned up the kitchen after eating and took a quick shower, cleaning myself of the hospital. All clean, I got out the book I had borrowed from him. I looked out the window to see a bright full moon, and I decided that I needed some stars. I climbed out the kitchen window and jumped up on the roof. I settled down with my book and looked up at the endless stars, letting the awesome sight make me smile. Wherever you were in the world, you could always look up into the night sky and see the sea of stars. Positioning myself to use the moon as a light, I read the smut book and enjoyed the peaceful solitude of the roof.

After a few hours had passed, I slipped back inside and crawled onto the couch. I suddenly felt alone, which was silly because I had been alone for the last few hours. A part of me wished that I had someone to sleep next to, like I had the last couple of nights. For some reason, my dreams were normal when I fell asleep next to another person… _Get over yourself; you are perfectly fine alone._ My thoughts tried to ease me to sleep, but before long I was trapped in my usual hell of nightmares.

* * *

_The large hand grabbed my throat again, squeezing my already existing bruises with no sign of relenting. I let out a strangled gasp, my vision blurred from my angry tears overflowing on my cheeks. I tried to kick him, I tried to scratch him, I tried to fight my way out of his death hold. _

_I knew what was coming._

_I felt his other hand grip my shorts and roughly tear them off of me, leaving my hips with more bruises than before. My vision turned red as I choked for more air, and the hand threw me against the wall, my head banging with such force that I felt myself black out for a second. But only a second. _

_God forbid I get to escape this torture. _

_I coughed up blood, my throat swollen and my head thumping. The adrenaline coursing through my veins made the pain even more prominent and my vision pick up the man's malicious smirk as he slowly walked towards my crumpled form. I felt pain absolutely everywhere, some places worse than others. Much worse. I struggled to get up, trying again for the hundredth time to build up chakra, just to be disappointed again as the drug kept me from fighting back. _

_I heard his evil, maniacal laughter, and the fear inside me tripled. _

_Not again. Please, not again. _

_I weakly scooted back against the wall, leaving a thick bloody trail as I crawled away, doing anything to get away from this monster. Anything to get away from what he was going to do to me. _

_I felt the hand grip my hair and yank me up; making me gasp in the pain I was already feeling from my head. He slammed me against the wall face first and I felt my nose crack and blood flow freely down my chest. _

_The hands grabbed my hips, nails digging in deep and leaving scars that would never disappear. I tried to elbow him behind me, but he caught my feeble blow and slammed my arm against the wall, crushing my wrist with a _snap_. I struggled against his hold, my entire world a world of pain and fear and blood._

_I couldn't do anything. _

_He had me. He took me._

_I was powerless._

"NO!" I shrieked at the attacker, my instincts making me reach for a kunai and throw it towards the man. I gasped in pain and terror, my body covered in sweat. I was shaking everywhere, and I was curled into a fetal position to ward off my attacker. My sobs were coming out at irregular intervals, my fear taking over and taking away all reason. My eyes closed shut tight, I hid from the world of pain and blood and terror as I gasped in fear. _I am powerless!_

"Lyra! It's alright, it's just me!" I heard that mellow voice and my shaking stopped. _Who is the man? Will he take me?_ I opened my eyes to squint at my attacker, but was stopped when I saw the familiar navy blue mask and slanted headband. And that eye, that calm and collected eye. Instead of fear entering my vision, I felt comfort.

"Lyra, it's okay. It's me, Kakashi." _Kakashi._ My tear filled eyes widened a bit as I took in this figure of a man who I felt wasn't going to hurt me. This man, I trusted. I uncurled a bit from my position and looked up into the face of this man, watching concern and comfort radiate from his features. I tentatively reached out a trembling hand to touch him, to see if he was real. His hand reached down and grasped mine firmly, comforting but not demanding. I began to find my senses again, and realize what had happened.

"Kakashi… I am so, so sorry…" I looked down in embarrassment, but still held on to his hand for dear life. I felt him sit down next to me on the small couch.

"There is nothing to apologize for," I heard him gently respond, a comforting hand rubbing the small of my back. My tears dried and my state of mind mostly recovered, I looked up at him and met his eye with my apologetic ones. He looked back at me with an accepting expression that didn't ask for an explanation, didn't give an accusation, just sat there with me and let my heart settle down next to the comfort of a friend. I sighed deeply, trying to settle my adrenaline crazed nerves that were convinced I was in the middle of a death battle. I closed my eyes and chuckled at myself, opening them again to look at Kakashi.

"I would understand if you want to revoke that roommate agreement. I wouldn't want a psychotic living in my house either," I said lightly to him, but he looked back at me seriously.

"Dealing with Post Traumatic Stress doesn't mean you're psychotic. It means you're human." I looked at him with wide eyes, so thankful that this man had become my friend. I felt a sad smile form on my face and I closed my eyes.

"Thank you." I leaned back against the couch, and I felt Kakashi get up off of the couch. I opened my eyes to see him returning with a glass of water. I smiled my thanks up at him and I drank from the glass. My nerves were better and my mind was in a stable state. I mused,

"PTS is so… inconvenient." Kakashi looked over at me from his position next to me.

"I definitely agree with you on that one," he replied, making me look over at him in question and he explained. "It takes one to know one." I looked at him in sadness, realizing he actually knew and understood the pain and frustration I went through because he too went through it. I leaned over towards him and rested my head on his broad shoulder, conveying comfort through touch.

"I've had this problem, whenever I fall asleep feeling alone, for a couple of years now," I relented, felling a weight come off of me as I shared this with him. He sighed above me and responded after a pause,

"It took me… over a decade to get over mine." I turned my head so that my face was turned into his shoulder, conveying the same comfort and acceptance that I had received from him. He sighed deeply, also seeming relieved. I looked up at him and smiled.

"Well, you didn't have an awesome friend like you looking out for you." Kakashi looked down and met my eyes with his soft one. I closed my eyes and smiled, relaxing on his shoulder once more. I felt him relax against me and the couch, and I fell asleep this time feeling the strong and sturdy will of the friend next to me as I entered the dream world, no longer feeling alone and able to stave off the nightmares.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed it, please let me know what you think!**


	4. Healing Eyes

**Here's another chapter. **

**Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy. :)**

* * *

Kakashi slowly opened his eyes to the sun glare coming out of his window. He blinked a few times, remembering his mission the day before and what had happened when he returned home. Kakashi turned his head to the side and looked at his new roommate peacefully sleeping beside him, her soft face turned towards him. There were no lines on her face, her expression portraying contented bliss, in such contrast to the state she was in when he found her on his couch in the early hours of the morning.

_Kakashi opened the door to his apartment as his stomach rumbled, hoping beyond hope that Lyra may have left some leftovers for him. He walked in to his dark apartment and heard a sob._

Lyra?

_He heard her gasp, a sound that was so full of fear his adrenaline kicked in and he searched his apartment for an enemy. _Lyra, afraid? _The enemy will be strong._

_He stalked slowly into his apartment and looked down at the curled up body of his friend on the couch. She was shaking uncontrollably, and Kakashi could see through the darkness that tears streamed down the face of this strong woman, this powerful person. He turned on the lamp beside the couch and lightly touched her shoulder._

"_NO!" she shrieked at him, startling him as she threw a kunai towards his head. He ducked just in time, the kunai streaming past his head and burying itself in his cabinet door. Kakashi was extremely troubled at his friend's state and her instinctive reflex to attack anyone close to her. _

Kakashi continued to look at her serene features as she slept next to him, remembering with clarity the conversation they had after that and how she had fallen asleep resting on his shoulder. It felt good to know that he could offer someone as powerful and strong as Lyra comfort, just by lending her his shoulder.

_She also offered you comfort. Comfort no one has given you before. _Kakashi frowned slightly. _Well, because I haven't told anyone else about that before. _

Lyra breathed in deeply with a contented sigh next to him, and a strand of red hair fell into her face, resting on her nose. Kakashi unconsciously reached over and gently brushed it out of her face, laughing silently to himself when she scrunched up her nose in her sleep.

_She must have been horribly abused by a man in her past to have triggered her post traumatic stress._ He watched her sigh again and she snuggled closer to the pillow she was hugging. He felt his expression sadden at the thought. _Well, she is powerful now._

Kakashi silently slipped out of the bed and headed for the shower, washing from the mission. He stepped out of the shower after cleaning himself, towel drying his messy hair and placing a fresh mask on, feeling refreshed. Walking into his room with a towel wrapped around his waist, he smelled a warm smell so heavenly, he immediately breathed in deeply. _What unearthly delight is she baking?_

He walked over to the kitchen, needing to know what divine food his new roommate was making.

* * *

**Lyra**

I was finishing a chapter in my book when I heard the beep of the timer and I pulled out the tray of blueberry muffins from the oven. _Ugh these smell _good_._

I smiled as I tested them and found them perfect, eager to stuff my face with their goodness. And share them with my new roommate. He had carried me to his bed after my episode last night, even after I had accidentally tried to kill him and had fallen asleep on his shoulder like a little school girl. I glanced up at the hole in the cabinet from the kunai I had thrown, and my guilt resurfaced. _I hope he likes muffins._

I looked up as the door to the bedroom opened and I was met with the stunning sight of my roommate in only a towel and his mask. My eyes involuntarily trailed down his pale chiseled chest and abdomen, his model body bringing a slight blush to my face. _Damn him._ He noticed my raised eyebrows and I tried to cover up for it with my exasperation.

"Kakashi, God damn! Didn't your parents teach you any decency?" I joked lightly, looking back at my muffins and trying to hide my blush.

Kakashi ignored me and walked towards me, his eyes also alight on my fresh baked goods.

"So these are what have conjured up that heavenly scent." He leaned towards them and breathed in deeply, pleasing me greatly at his appreciation. I tried to ignore his muscled half-naked body standing close to me.

"Yeah, these are my apology for last night. I promise I will replace the cabinet door soon," I smiled and began to pull them out of their pan.

"Oh, you can keep breaking the furniture if it means more muffins," Kakashi joked absently, and he walked over to get us plates and drinks. I felt myself smile and I grabbed a couple muffins and grasped the glass of water Kakashi had handed me. I wasted no time and I took my first bite, expecting the special spices I had hidden there to explode in my mouth but not really prepared for it. I tried to suppress my moan but I failed.

"Holy _fuck,_ these turned out good," I closed my eyes and appreciated the cooking skills I had taught myself after being fed up with the Dragon diet. I heard him 'Hm' his agreement behind me; reminding me of the first morning I had spent with him. I ate more muffins than I probably should have, but told myself I would work it all off in training today.

My eyes closed, a contented smile on my face from the lingering taste, I noticed Kakashi approaching me. I looked up at him with a smile in time to see him lightly grab my waist with one hand and pull me towards him as he place a small kiss on my cheek.

As one, we both flinched backwards, surprise on both of our faces. My eyebrows raised, I stared at him and watched multiple emotions surge behind his eye as he fumbled for words.

"Thank you for the muffins," he got out, abruptly turning to walk back into the bedroom. Hopefully to put some damn clothes on. I shook my head with a slight smile and began cleaning the kitchen, storing the rest of the muffins and drying the dishes.

I looked over as he walked out in his normal attire, strapping his weapon pouches on and getting ready for a day of training. I met his gaze and saw his eye heavily guarded as he pulled his headband down over the other eye. I raised my eyebrows and said with a light smile,

"Ready to get your ass beat?" His eyebrow rose and his eye softened a bit as he smiled over at me.

"I could ask you the same question."

* * *

We sat up high in a tree together, both of us unwrapping our rice balls. I leaned back against the trunk and closed my eyes, thoroughly enjoying the slight breeze wafting through the branches in the shade. I took out my thermos and poured Kakashi a cup of steaming tea, and he nodded at me in thanks. We ate our lunches in comfortable silence, both of us exhausted from our sparring. I looked down at the training ground below us and marveled at the large craters and ditches we had made in our collateral damage. _We are getting stronger_.

This tree had become our break tree. Almost every day for the last couple of weeks, Kakashi and I had headed out to train after breakfast and had relaxed in this peaceful tree for our late lunch. Sometimes Gai would come with us, making the sparring even more interesting against two opponents, and most days I would summon Fireball to watch and shout out pointers and insults to both Kakashi and me. I smiled, my eyes closed, listening to my friend's steady breath next to me. I took out my new book, another one that Kakashi had lent me, and flipped to a page.

After lunch is when I head over to the hospital to help Sakura out. My name had slowly become known in the village, despite me only really spending time with my few friends, since I had met and gotten to know many people at the hospital. _Speaking of the hospital._

"Let me see your chest," I spoke over to Kakashi, him reading his own book. He looked up at me and said,

"It's fine, really. I'll just run some cold water over it," he edged away from me, his playful expression making me glare at him. I think he enjoyed trying to refuse my healing, because he knew I would fight him on it. And win.

_The ass._ I smiled internally.

"I burned you, Kakashi. You _will_ allow me to heal you." I stood up menacingly and made my hands glow blue, trying to be intimidating. He chuckled, his hands up in defeat, he smiled up at me and replied,

"Alright, alright. But you have to heal that cut on your stomach first." I was about to object when he held a hand up. "No exceptions."

I pouted at him, making his eye do his cute little crinkle thing as he smiled under his mask. I looked down at my stomach and saw the shallow _scratch, not cut_ on my hip. It didn't even hurt. I sighed dramatically as I held up a hand to it to heal it quickly. I wasn't wearing a shirt, and neither was Kakashi.

Our first week of serious training together had ended every day with our shirts and pants in tatters, ripped to shreds from our powerful and passionate fights. After a week of shredded clothing, we decided to wear minimal clothing when training so we wouldn't have to buy a new wardrobe every month. Which I mean, I wasn't about to complain about it. Kakashi took his shirt off before our fights and he wore low riding shorts to his knees. With his ever-present mask still on, of course. I wore short tight shorts and a workout bra, making our fights even more exhilarating because of the loss of the false sense of protection you get from clothing. My nervousness at my roommate and training partner's attractive body dissipated real quickly when we resumed our intense spars.

I finished healing the scratch and leaned over to him, my glowing hands reaching for the burn mark I had left on his side. He held another hand up, halting me.

"And your leg," He said, looking pointedly at the _minuscule scratch_ I hadn't even noticed was there on my thigh. I frowned and gave him a 'Really?' face and I watched his amused eye watch me. We were sitting on a branch together, only a foot between us. I glared at him and reached towards him again, swatting his hand away when he tried to stop me. Kakashi chuckled and finally allowed me to heal his burn.

I glanced up and met his eye, half-smiling at him.

"We are making progress. Do you think you will have your Mangekyo ready for real battle soon? He looked back at me, his expression thoughtful but happy.

"I don't think so. But I was able to hold it for almost an hour today," I nodded, focusing on his burn. "But I think I will need to finish that training alone."

I looked up at him, trying not to let my questioning eyes show sadness. _Why?_

"It's too dangerous to train with this with another person," he said, and I somewhat agreed with him. Last week he had shown me his development in his sharingan and we had been trying to improve his endurance with it. Just yesterday we had found out that he could send things _to another dimension_.

_And you thought my _dragons_ were a crazy concept. _I looked down, trying not to frown. I felt Kakashi's gentle hand grasp my chin and make me look up at his smile. _It's funny how this hand had punched me and sent a lightning blade at me just an hour ago, and now it is gentle, holding my face, comforting me. _This thought made me smile. I treasured my friendship with Kakashi more than all the money in the world.

"Just promise me you'll be careful," I said to him, my face still in his hand. "Since I won't be there to look out for you." I watched his eye soften and then fill with amusement.

"Aren't you the one who's been trying to kill me for the last month?" He teased me lightly, making my smile grow.

"Not _kill_ you! Just maybe _maim_ you," I jumped back to the trunk as his eyebrows rose and I stuck my tongue out at him, smiling. I jumped down off the tree and landed on the ground, surveying the mass damage we had created. I looked up as Kakashi fell down beside me, landing gracefully. Our eyes in contact, we formed the hand seal for earth and did our joint earth recovery jutsu. The ground around us shifted until it was once again flat, ready for us to butcher it again tomorrow. I reached inside one of my pouches and pulled out our clothes, handing Kakashi his shirt and headband. I slipped some pants on and slid a comfortable shirt over my top. I let my hair down, shaking out the waves. It had gotten a few inches longer, making me realize how long I had been living and training here in the Leaf Village. I looked over to see Kakashi looking at me, his face peaceful and happy, and I smiled over at him.

"What should I grab for dinner tonight?" I asked him, taking a drink from my water bottle. He 'Hm'ed at me, thinking.

"If you grab some fish, I can make sushi," He said, and I nodded. We headed back to the village together, my arms and legs in their usual pleasant soreness. I had missed walking under the patchy shade of these trees, the leaves dancing in the wind and the sun peeking through the treetops. I let my happiness show, ready to go help some people with Sakura. When we reached the gate, I waved back at Kakashi as we split ways and I headed to the hospital.

* * *

I was cleaning up after the last patients in the room I was given in the hospital, trying to scrub blood stains out of the floor. I had just treated two genin who had injured themselves training together, and they were both badly hurt. They were both embarrassed and begged me not to tell their sensei, so I said I wouldn't after reprimanding them thoroughly. _Which now that I think about it, that was quite hypocritical of me. I have to heal Kakashi and me after every spar. But at least we are never as bad as those two were. _

I felt a curious chakra approach from the hallway. I looked up to see a tall young man with long brown hair and pale eyes stop at my doorway. I straightened up from the floor and gave him a smile. He asked,

"May I come in?" His tone was polite and respectful.

"Yeah, of course," I motioned with my hand and he entered. "How can I help you?" I brushed my knees off and walked over to the sink to wash my hands. I looked behind my shoulder at him when he hesitated in responding.

"I… Well, my eyes are in pain. I have been training a lot lately. Usually the pain dies away after a day or so but this time, it hasn't." I turned and looked at him. _The Byakugan_. I slowly walked up to him and he squinted down at me, the pain obvious in his eyes.

"May I see?" I raised a glowing hand. He nodded, and closed his eyes. I placed my hand over his eyes and closed my own. I pushed some chakra into his eyes and numbed the pain, his shoulders visibly slumping in relief. I opened my eyes to look at his face, and I saw that he wasn't surprised at his eye's condition. I smiled sadly at myself. _He knows he overuses them. But from what little I know of the Hyuga and their strict clan, he isn't about to stop using them._

I finished healing the strain on his eyes, relaxing the muscles around them and giving them a little bit of chakra. I lifted my hand off of his eyes, and he opened them to look at me.

"Thank you," he smiled a small smile at me, and I smiled back and nodded, glad to see the strain off of his face.

I expected him to leave then or ask me something else, but he hesitated, as if waiting for me to say something. My eyebrows rising, I asked,

"Is there anything else I can do?" His calm face formed another small smile and he closed his eyes and shook his head a bit, opening them again to look at me.

"No, thank you. I was just expecting you to chastise me for overusing my eyes." I smiled and chuckled then, replying,

"Well, you're a grown man who would obviously know that, after having them healed multiple times before." He raised his eyebrows at the knowledge I had gained just from looking at his eyes. "You won't stop using them, hell, _I_ wouldn't stop using them if I had the Byakugan." I half-smiled my understanding at him and he smiled his small smile back.

"I am Neji Hyuga. What was your name?" He asked me.

"I'm Lyra, nice to meet you." He looked at me interestedly, as if suddenly realizing something.

"Are you the one everyone is talking about? The strange woman who matches the skill of Kakashi?" He asked. My eyebrows rose and I responded,

"Well, I guess so. We have been training for the last month now, and we are sharing rent. I wouldn't say I'm _strange_, though…" Neji smiled his modest smile in amusement.

"It has been a pleasure to meet you. My cousin, my regular training partner, is busy with family matters right now. Do you think you might have time to train with me?" He asked me sincerely, and I smiled at him. _Kakashi needs to train by himself sometimes now to perfect his Mangeko, it would be nice to have another training partner. Plus, the Hyugas are known for their gentle fist technique, and I have always wanted to train against that._

"Sure, I should be free some days in the mornings. I've always wanted to spar with a gentle fist." He nodded and replied,

"You can stop by my clan's compound whenever you are free. I will be outside training in the mornings." I nodded back at him and smiled, glad I was making friends.

"Alright, I will see you later then. And I can heal your eyes after we spar, so you don't have to hold back." This made his small smile widen and he closed his eyes and nodded to me respectfully, turning to leave. I watched him go, and then I looked out the window to see the sun near the horizon.

_Sushi tonight!_ I practically bounded out of there after cleaning everything, waving at Sakura on my way out. I greeted all of the vendors in the market, and bought some fresh salmon and rice, as well as all of the other ingredients I thought Kakashi would need. I stopped to help one of the older vendors carry some heavy bags and boxes, and she insisted on giving me a fresh box of chocolate. I knew I didn't need that but it _smelled_ so fresh. I tried to refuse it, I really did.

_Okay, no I didn't._

I made my way back to the apartment and I sensed Kakashi's chakra on the roof of the apartment before I could even see the building. The thing was, I had been training with this man, going to sleep and waking up in the same apartment as this man, and eating most of my meals with him for a _month_. I know his chakra signature better than I know my own, and I think I could sense his position from anywhere in the village.

I jumped on top of the building and approached him sitting on the roof with his book, facing the sunset. I sat down next to him and just soaked in the beauty of the setting sun, letting the waves of red, orange, yellow and pink that were slowly flowing through the clouds calm me. We sat like that for a while, neither of us moving, neither of us wanting to. We just watched the sun dip under the earth and ease the sky into the gradual darkness. I felt Kakashi's eye on me and I looked over at him.

"Has anyone ever told you that your hair looks like a sunset?" He asked me seriously. His voice had its usual bored tone in it, but he was calm and thoughtful. I blinked. Kakashi doesn't usually start conversations.

"No." I replied lightly, searching his relaxed face. The face of my friend. "It kind of makes sense though, now that I think about it." I watched him look away from me and look up at the forming moon behind us. I too watched it take form, replacing the sun of the day. It began to shine and become the light of the night. Tonight was a full moon, and I watched the giant orb rise into the sky ever so slowly, lighting the world under it with its faint silver glow.

"And your eyes. They look like the moon." Kakashi quietly said, making me face him with raised eyebrows. He continued to look at the moon, and I wondered what had gotten my roommate into such a calm, profound state of mind. I scooted over until I sat right next to him and rested my head on his shoulder, like I had that night I had my last stress episode. I have been sleeping fine ever since that night, and I regrettably admitted to myself it was because I slept on the same bed as Kakashi. Our bodies don't physically touch each other at night; however perverted my roommate and I are with our graphic novels, he was always respectful. He insisted I share it with him after my third night of waking up in the floor from falling off the small couch and the bed is big enough for the both of us to sleep comfortably. I just get to sleep with another person in the same room, right next to me. A person I trust with my life, and who trusts me back to the same degree. I haven't felt alone since that night. I think it was this, this simple thing, that has been keeping my nightmares at bay. _And I am eternally thankful to him for it._

We continued to look at the moon for a while, my head on his shoulder, and then I felt myself getting hungry. I looked up at him and whispered into the silence of the night,

"I bought some fresh salmon. Did you still want to make us sushi?" I asked hopefully, and he looked down at me with a smile.

"Of course. I can get started now." I raised my head and he stood up, reaching a hand down to help me up. I smiled my thanks and we made our way to his open kitchen window, both of us crawling in gracefully. Kakashi stood at the counter and began preparing the food, and I walked to the bedroom to shower. I stripped off my clothes and started the hot water, trying to get some tangles out of my mane. I stepped in and sighed contently, cleansing off the day with the smell of my natural soap. I always wondered if I smelled weird to others, but I was just used to making and using my own homemade soap and shampoo from years of living with non-humans. It wasn't like I could just go to the market on that island and ask for human soap. I giggled at the thought of the ferocious dragons on that island selling soap.

I turned off the shower and grabbed for a towel on the rack, but there were no more towels.

"Kakashi?" I called loudly, partly opening the shower curtain to peer at the door. I felt him walk over to the door.

"Hmm?" I heard on the other side.

"Can you grab me a towel from the laundry room? The laundry's clean, I just forgot to put some back here." I heard him 'Hm' again and return shortly, opening the bathroom door. He took a step in, the towel in one hand and the other in his pocket, and he noticed me peering at him from behind the curtain. A mischievous expression formed on his hidden face, and I feared the worst.

He held the towel out for me, but he was still a good five feet from the shower. He looked to the side, his hand still nonchalantly in his pocket, his face aloof.

_The fucker._

"Hey, asshole, come a little closer, will ya?" I glared at him, clutching the shower curtain. He smiled from under that mask and raised his eyebrows in mock innocence and surprise.

"Come closer? But you're in the shower, Lyra!" He turned to leave and I hissed in annoyance and embarrassment. He looked over his shoulder at me, his face full of laughter, and I gave him the deadliest glare I could manage. This of course made him chuckle deeply, and I felt my face blush as my dick of a roommate teased the shit out of me while I was standing here wet and naked, hiding behind the thin shower curtain. I decided to play dirty back. I said to him in a quiet, threatening voice,

"Oh, I thought you wanted my _special, homemade chocolate strawberry muffins_ tomorrow morning, but it seems like I may have forgotten my secret recipe…" He turned to me then, expression more serious.

"That's right, you want my _warm, fresh chocolate strawberry muffins_ again, don't you?" I glared at him, daring him to test me. My chocolate chip strawberry muffins were this fucker's favorite. He cocked his head to the side, pretending to contemplate, just making me wait. I was getting cold, my dick roommate was taking his damn time.

He sighed dramatically and walked over to the shower with the towel, play defeat on his face as he smiled at my blushing form. I glared back at him and reached quickly for the towel from behind the curtain. But you know what happened?

I slipped, of course.

"Fuck!" With a shriek, I fell forward onto the floor, as naked as I had been the day I was born, right in front of my startled roommate. Kakashi dropped the towel in surprise, and with little shrieks, I hurriedly tried to cover my blushing body from my frozen roommate with that damned towel. I looked up after I had it wrapped around my body at Kakashi staring at me wide-eyed, and my eyes shot a thousand kunai towards him. He didn't look like he was going to be moving any time soon so I darted around him and ran for the drawer I kept my clothes in.

I had just finished putting my underwear on and clipping my bra when Kakashi had to walk out of the bathroom to stare at me with a shocked expression again, a blush peeking out from the top of his mask. Instinct driving me, I grabbed the thing nearest me, a book on the dresser, and hurled it towards him yelling,

"Fuck! Kakashi!" He barely ducked under my assault and he fled to the door to the kitchen, hastily closing the door behind him on the way. I breathed heavily, embarrassed out of my mind. _That fucker._

Then I stopped when I realized something. Kakashi sees me in this amount of clothing every day when we train. Only difference is what I'm wearing now is lace, not workout clothes. And when we fight… I am more familiar with Kakashi's body than any lover could be, and vice versa. Kakashi knows my body from our sparring, especially because we are so matched in skill. Being someone's training partner means knowing everything about how they fight, how they move, what they look like and what they feel like.

That, and the little fact that Kakashi and I have… had sex before.

But that was a while ago, and I still can't remember the details of that drunken night.

But point being, _Why am I so embarrassed around him?_

I finished dressing and drying my hair and headed to the kitchen, wanting sushi.

* * *

**Kakashi**

Kakashi leaned on the counter in the kitchen with both hands supporting him, trying to reign in his thoughts.

_Pull yourself together. You are acting immaturely._

Why was he so shocked when he saw Lyra? He sees her every day with him in their training clothes. He sees her body in every position possible when she dodges his punches and kicks and comes back at him with her passionate force. Her body is so natural to him now after watching her lean, tall, womanly form come at him with a power and speed that could kill a lesser man.

_Not to mention, the first night I met her. _

Kakashi blinked.

_I know more about Lyra than I should._

Kakashi shook his head.

_Sushi. Finish the sushi._

Kakashi finished rolling everything when he felt his roommate enter the kitchen. He looked up involuntarily, an apologetic expression on his hidden face. He met her beautiful eyes, and she glared at him with her half-smile. Kakashi smiled back, appreciating his friendship with his roommate, and turned to split the sushi on two plates.

Lyra has had the option of moving out for the last two weeks now since a couple apartments went up in the market, but she had stayed here, living with Kakashi. She brought it up once, asking him if she should move and get out of his hair, and Kakashi realized that he actually enjoyed living with her. Not only was she paying half of the bills, but she always insisted on buying the food for them and would cook for him most days, always adding in her mystery spices that made everything she made taste as exotic as she looked. _Not to mention…how she tastes exotic herself…_

Kakashi mentally shook his head, freeing himself of those thoughts.

Lyra was also just good company; always polite and clean and really a source of happiness and cheer in Kakashi's previously gloomy living quarters. She had become a good friend to him, perhaps one of his closest, and he realized, he would miss her if she left. _I am growing soft._

Lyra walked up to him, excitement showing on her face as she looked at the food. Kakashi smiled at her monster appetite. She reached up to the top cabinet to grab some more tea, and her unique scent wafted over to Kakashi, making him want to lean in closer to breathe in deeply. Instead he grabbed some cups for them and turned around with his food, beginning to eat.

They ate their food, and then Lyra turned on the hot water to do the dishes. Kakashi walked past her and placed a hand on her shoulder in thanks, and he walked to the laundry room to grab a towel for himself. Kakashi showered quickly, and then came out in his sleeping clothes to join Lyra reading on the couch. She was lying down on her back on the couch with her face buried in the book, most likely in an interesting part. She wordlessly lifted her legs and Kakashi sat down next to her, and she rested her legs on his lap, reminding him of one of their first nights like this. Kakashi settled down next to his friend and entered the fantasies of his book.

An hour or so later, Lyra lowered her book and looked at Kakashi.

"Were you going to train your Mangekyo tomorrow?" Kakashi continued to read his book for a few seconds, thinking about tomorrow.

"I probably should," he responded, and then looked up to meet her eyes. Her gaze always had such strength in it. He felt like he could tell almost everything she was thinking just by looking at her, and he knew she could read him just as easily. _That may be what staring into someone else's eyes for hours every day training must do._

Her face was thoughtful, but she had the same cute slight sadness at the thought that they wouldn't be going out together in the morning for training like they usually did. Kakashi also didn't want to miss a day where they could dance their deadly dance together, but the thought of accidentally hurting her with these strange new abilities of his Sharingan made his decision final. He must learn to control it so he can return to his sparring partner and continue to try to beat her. He continued to look at her as she responded,

"Alright. Just please promise me you will be careful. I will never forgive you if you hurt yourself." She glared her threat at him, making Kakashi smile. He rubbed her knee that was resting on his lap absently in comfort and replied,

"I will be fine. As soon as I feel I can control it, I will show you." He watched her face light up and his grin widened under his mask as she nodded at him.

"Today I was invited to train with a Hyuga at their compound whenever I am free," Lyra mused, and Kakashi raised his eyebrows at her. She looked at him. "Have you gotten to fight against a gentle fist user before?" Kakashi thought for a moment.

"Once or twice before. They are excellent fighters; I would greatly enjoy watching you spar with one." Lyra raised her own eyebrows and grinned in her excitement. She asked,

"Do you know Neji? He seemed nice when I met him." Kakashi nodded.

"Neji used to be Gai's student. He's known to be one of the most proficient gentle fist users in the Hyuga." Kakashi watched Lyra's smile widen, the familiar glint in her eye that shown her enthusiasm. _She always likes a challenge._ She moved her legs off of his lap and stood up next to him, stretching absent mindedly. She looked off into the distance, deep in thought, and mused,

"Alright, that's good. Hopefully that will help distract me from missing you," she replied in seriousness. She stopped and blinked for a moment as Kakashi looked up at her, his eyebrows raised but his eyes soft. She glanced down at him, her eyes vulnerable for a second. Then she closed her eyes and half-smiled, reaching a hand down to help Kakashi off of the couch. They walked into the bedroom and Lyra went into the bathroom. Kakashi looked after her, about to tease her about missing him, when he stopped and thought.

_I'm going to miss her as well._

* * *

**Lyra**

_Way to go, dumbass. Now he'll never stop teasing you about that._

I scowled at myself in the mirror as I opened the toothpaste. I got ready for bed and opened the bathroom door. I walked in a few steps when I looked up and saw my _shirtless _roommate's face, startled, and _without his mask on._

He was sitting there in bed, his _naked_ face blinking at me and his _mouth_ slightly open as he stared back at me staring at him. Him and his _God damned attractive_ face. I blinked and tried to recover as I looked down and tried to walk nonchalantly towards my side of the bed as he slipped his more comfortable sleeping mask on.

_Holy shit._

Knowing I had just screwed myself over for the rest of my life when it came to him teasing me, I grabbed a pillow and chucked it at him repulsively. He caught it, his eyebrows up in question, and I gave him my most threatening glare.

"I'm warning you; you had better not come home with even a_ scratch _tomorrow or I swear I will thoroughly kick your ass." I watched his face relax into a smile, and for the first time, I wondered what his smile actually looked like under that mask. He reached over to my side and grasped my arm, pulling me towards him to my great surprise. He pulled my startled and stiff body into a hug, one of his hands gently holding my head and the other on the small of my back. My arms were trapped between us in his sturdy arms, my cool fingers up against his warm, hard chest. My eyes wide in shock at my roommate showing affection, I was tense for a few seconds until his hand on my back began to rub me ever so slightly, giving me comfort. My body began to relax and soak in his calmness, but I had no idea how to return the affection. Living with beasts who would sooner cook me than cuddle with me for a huge chunk of my life was probably to blame for that. His hand slowly moved up my spine, relaxing me even more, and I rested my head on his bare shoulder as my eyes closed.

_What is he doing?_

I felt his breath on my exposed neck and it made me shiver at the intimacy. Without thinking about it, my hands slid down his hard chest and stomach and wound their way around him, returning the hug. I felt the muscles in his arms, shoulders and back ripple as he pulled me even closer to him to make our chests touch, and my head turned into his neck. I couldn't believe how nice this felt. My own hands moved up his back, caressing his smooth skin, and his masked face gently pressed into my neck. I could feel his lips against my skin, and something stirred deep within me.

My eyes shot open and I pulled away. Kakashi also seemed surprised at what just happened, and he sat back on his side of the bed, his hand scratching the back of his head as he looked away from me. I swallowed the feelings I had just experienced and half-smiled in his direction.

"So that means you'll be careful tomorrow?" I asked him, and his eye met mine. He nodded and gave me a small smile back, his eyes unusually unreadable to me. He said no more and reached over to turn his lamp off and settle in for the night. I did as well, and focused on my roommate's breathing as I relaxed in the dark and tried to quite my noisy thoughts.

_What just happened?_

* * *

**Kakashi**

Kakashi opened his eye and stared at the ceiling, refusing to think about anything and just enjoy the peace. He breathed in deeply and was met with the impossibly delicious smell of Lyra's chocolate chip and strawberry muffins, his absolute favorite. Kakashi closed his eye and smiled to himself as he remembered last night.

_She actually made them for me._

He looked up at the door to the bedroom as Lyra came in with a tray piled high with her famous muffins and two steaming cups of tea. She smiled sweetly at him as he sat up with his eyebrows raised high. She sat on the bed with him and replied to his questioning look,

"Mornin'. I promised you these yesterday, remember?" She wasted no time and took a bite out of a muffin. Kakashi, his senses tingling at the inhumanly enticing smell, reached over and grabbed one. He knew from experience that if he waited too long, Lyra would accidentally eat all of them. Kakashi closed his eye and smiled, the first minute of his morning unbelievably pleasant, thanks to his roommate. He opened his eye and looked at her relaxed back as she was turned away from him, always respecting his privacy because she knew he liked to eat without any eyes looking at him. She was looking out the window and sipping her tea, enjoying the peace of the morning hours with her friend. His eye softened at her kindness, and he began eating when he watched her grab her third muffin.

"Thank you, Lyra." He told her, and she slightly turned her head and smiled back at him. He leaned back against his pillows and headboard as he enjoyed the goodness of her baking. They sat like that, listening to a bird singing outside and enjoying the simple company. They finished the amazing muffins and Kakashi stood up and grabbed the tray, heading to the kitchen to wash the dishes. He stopped at the door when he felt her eyes on him, and he turned, seeing her questioning expression. He looked back with a smile that said, '_I'll do the dishes',_ and she half-smiled her thanks as she looked back at the window.

Kakashi scrubbed the few dishes she used and dried them, and remembered that he was training alone today.

_Which isn't a big deal; you only just recently got a training partner._ His reasonable side said. His other side replied,

_What if Neji is a better training partner for her, and she ends up not needing you?_

Kakashi shook his head at himself, hating his silliness. He returned to his room and saw his roommate fully clothed, which surprised him. He was used to seeing her in only her training clothes in the morning, and he too felt weird putting his ninja garb on. He met her eyes and she smiled at him.

"Good luck today. Send some stuff to another dimension," she said lightly to him and he nodded in response. She walked towards him to go out the door, and she placed a light hand on his arm as she passed him, saying her good bye. He walked over to the dresser to grab his headband, and he headed out after her to train for the day.

* * *

**Lyra**

I bent and rested my hands on my knees, completely exhausted as I looked over to see Neji sitting on the ground, also out of breath. He had only hit a couple of my chakra points, and I figured out by his patterns where they are on my body.

Neji and I had had our first duel, and I sat down in the dirt, utterly tired. I looked up as I saw him try to stand and activate his Byakugan again. I watched his face contort in pain as he sat down again, his eyes normal and closed, and his hand reached up to rub the pain in his eyes. I looked around at the couple of people who were watching us from the buildings surrounding the Hyuga courtyard, and they all seemed impressed at the intense fight they just witnessed. I slowly got to me feet, and wobbled over to Neji slowly. He looked up at me surprised and raised his arms to defend himself, thinking I was going to finish him off. I closed my eyes and half-smiled at him, letting him know we were done fighting. I got close to him and sat down next to him on the dirt, and we tried to regain our breaths together.

I looked up at him, his face trying to hide the strain, and our eyes met.

"May I?" I asked him as I held up a glowing hand. He looked at me and smiled a small smile and nodded, closing his eyes. I laid my hand over his eyes and looked at the damage.

We had probably fought for a good three hours, and Neji had his Byakugan activated the whole time. I eased my chakra into his strained eye muscles, relieving the pain and healing the pulled muscles. His head almost slumped at the relief, and I smiled as his features softened after the tense fight we had. I felt the curious eyes of the older men on me from the surrounding houses, and I hoped it was acceptable to heal Neji's eyes. I only knew a little about their customs, and the last thing I wanted to do was accidentally insult them.

I finished healing his eyes, but I kept my hand on them, looking more deeply to try and see why they were getting strained more than often. Neji noticed this but didn't say anything, allowing me to search the delicate makings of the eye. After a minute or so, I removed my hand and he opened his large pale eyes at me. I smiled a tired smile and him and made no move to move away from him, and he responded to my smile with his own. I looked up as the elder men returned to their rooms, leaving the air with a slightly uncomfortable feel to it. I looked back at Neji worriedly, but he smiled a small reassuring smile at me, and I returned it. Still looking at him, I said,

"I can heal your eyes, but only temporarily." He nodded in understanding, continuing to look back at me with a curious expression.

"You found my blind spot." It was an interested statement, and I nodded.

"I realized it when I forced you to spin to avoid my attack." Using that blind spot had been the only way I could find to defeat him. I then realized that this was probably what had the elders so on edge. I had discovered the Byakugan's weakness.

Neji nodded as he recalled that time in our duel, and he shook his head with his smile.

"To my knowledge, only one other person had discovered the blind spot, but I had defeated him." I looked at him, an apology on my face.

"I don't know how I can ensure you that I will keep this secret hidden, but I will. If it helps, I once served in the Anbu as a spy, and I learned how to lie about my entire life." I told him honestly, and his eyebrows rose to hide under his headband. He looked at me in surprise, but he seemed to believe me.

"I don't believe you will tell anyone. I appreciate it," he told me, and I smiled at him. "I also appreciate the chance to spar with you; it was one of the most exciting spars I have had in a while." He gave me a larger smile, and it even reached his serious eyes. I half-smiled back at him and said,

"I enjoyed it too. It was so wonderful to experience the gentle fist first hand. I think the only fighting style I haven't fought against would be the drunken fist, but that's not the easiest to find." I watched Neji chuckle, and my eyebrows rose.

"My teammate, Rock Lee, had an incident with my old sensei a couple of months ago. Lee consumed the tiniest amount of sake during dinner at a restaurant, but it had been his first. He tore the restaurant up, and Gai deemed him a natural drunken fist user." Neji told me, his face amused. I laughed, trying to imagine what waking up from that hangover would feel like.

Neji turned abruptly and looked at the entrance gate to the compound as it slowly opened. I looked over too and watched as a couple people entered, wearing expensive clothing and looking like they had just returned from a business trip. _These must be Neji's family that were away._

Neji stood up next to me quickly and reached a hand down to help me up. We brushed our clothes off and I watched Neji bow deeply towards the approaching figures. Completely lost, I bowed as well.

"Neji nii-san!" I heard a timid voice call out, and Neji raised his head a bit and smiled. A girl ran up to us and stopped short when she saw me. Neji straightened, and so did I.

"Hinata sama. This is Lyra," he said, and I smiled at Hinata.

"Hi, nice to meet you." She timidly smiled back. A tall man who seemed to be in charge walked up and stood next to Hinata. He noticed me and staring down at me. I blinked and bowed, not really sure what I should be doing.

_Humans are so damn confusing sometimes._

"Are you Lyra?" The man addressed me, and I looked up and met his eyes respectfully.

"Yes." I didn't know how to address him.

"Lyra, this is Lord Hiashi," Neji murmured next to me, and I swallowed.

"I have heard rumors of your skill." He looked at Neji and me, both of us looking tired with forming bruises and the ground around us evidence of a fight. "Is she as powerful as they say, Neji?" Neji looked up to him and replied in his polite tone,

"Yes. Her speed and strength surpass mine. Her fighting style is…unique." He looked over at me, his eyes thoughtful. "It is almost as if she has taken the ideas and characteristics behind gentle fist and has as incorporated them into her strong fist, making her nearly impenetrable." My eyes wide in surprise, I smiled at him in thanks.

Hinata looked at me scared, and I tried smiling at her again. Lord Hiashi spoke.

"She beat you, Neji?" Neji's face saddened a bit as he bowed his head in shame.

"Yes, Lord Hiashi." Neji closed his eyes but opened them again in surprise when Hiashi lightly placed a hand on his shoulder. Neji looked up to see Hiashi give him a small reassuring smile. He let go and turned to me, looking at me in interest.

"Not many can best my nephew. You must indeed be powerful." I smiled at him and bowed my head in thanks. He looked at me and asked, "What clan do you belong to?"

I blinked and tried to respond.

"I grew up in an orphanage; I don't know any of my family. I have searched around for these past few years but none have recognized me." He looked at me with an unreadable expression, and I remembered that family meant everything to some people. He said,

"You are welcome to join us for lunch, if you wish." My eyebrows high, I responded,

"I would be honored to, thank you." He nodded and walked to one of the buildings. Hinata stayed behind and gave me a shy smile, which I returned.

"Neji nii-san, how were you while we were away?" she asked her cousin, and Neji replied,

"I was alright, Hinata sama. Lyra helped with the pain I had in my eyes." He glanced at me, his relaxed face meeting my eyes with his small smile. I looked at Hinata and said,

"If your Byakugan is ever strained, I'd be happy to heal yours as well," I closed my eyes and smiled at her, and she thanked me. A maid called out to Hinata and the three of us walked into the building to find a table with fresh food on it, and I spent the late afternoon getting to know Neji and Hinata. They talked about their friends like Naruto and Shino and Kiba and Shikamaru, and promised me they would introduce me to them sometime. I smiled as I left the Hyuga compound, waving and promising Neji I would train with him again sometime.

The sun was getting close to the horizon and I stopped by the hospital to say hi to Sakura and see if she needed my help. She smiled at me as said today was a slow day, so I headed home.

I bypassed the market, thinking Kakashi and I had enough food for leftovers. I was eager to see what he had accomplished in the day's training. I approached the apartment and noticed Kakashi wasn't there, and I headed up before trying to find him to grab a drink of water.

I walked into the kitchen and saw a note on the counter. I picked it up and read the hastily scrawled words,

_Gai came by and is dragging me to the bar. We'll be here a while, come join us._

_Kakashi_

I smiled at the thought of hanging out with those two tonight, and I walked over to the bathroom to take a quick shower before heading out. I scrubbed all of the dirt and sweat off of me from the day and stepped out of the shower, towel drying my hair. I glanced into the mirror and had a weird thought.

_I haven't gone out with human friends in a long, long time._

I walked into the bedroom and pulled out a nice set of underwear. I usually never wore my nice things out anymore because I had been training every day since I had gotten here. I felt the soft lace on my body and smiled.

_Even a girl raised by beasts wants to feel sexy sometimes._ I dug my hand into my deep pouch, searching for any nice looking clothes among my numerous ninja attire. I found a black miniskirt and a revealing blouse I had never seen before, and I stared at them in shock.

_Damn you, Fireball. I told you, I don't want to date._ My incessant dragon was constantly nagging me about finding a guy, and slipping clothing like this into my pouch was definitely up his alley.

_Well, I can still dress nicely once in a while._ I tentatively slipped the tight skirt on, and blushed at the way it made my ass look bigger. I pulled the blouse on and I felt like one of those young single women who spend their nights in bars, looking for young single men. I looked into the mirror and thought, _why the hell not. I'm already this far._

I took out the unused make-up Fireball had slipped in and put just a touch on, outlining my eyes. I stepped back to see a young, pleasant looking woman looking back at me and I smiled as I remembered something.

_I need to ask Gai about his drunken fist student!_

* * *

**Kakashi**

Kakashi swirled his drink as he turned a page in his book, smiling to himself as he listened to Gai and Asuma talk about their students. His Sharingan throbbed from the day of use, and he tried to ignore it.

"I swear, I think this generation's Ino-Shika-Cho combination will be even more powerful than our generation's," mused Asuma, taking a drink from his beer.

"I don't know, Asuma. Their fathers are a legend! It would be hard to surpass them," replied Gai, also with a glass in his hand. Kakashi closed his eye, thinking about his old team and wondering where two of them were. He took another sip of his sake.

He felt her chakra enter the bar, and he smiled to himself. He waited for her to approach before he turned and looked at her. His eyes widened.

There she was, standing before him in an impossibly short skirt and a tight blouse, her toned body attracting the attention of many of the men in the bar. Kakashi met her eyes with her raised eyebrows, and her silver pools seemed to shine over to him even more than they usually did. Kakashi swallowed.

"Hey Kakashi, Gai," she greeted them, unaware of the trail of peeking men she left behind. Kakashi saw Asuma's brow rise, and he said,

"Lyra, this is Asuma. Asuma, Lyra." Lyra smiled at him and he smiled back, taking another drink. Lyra sat on the stool next to Kakashi, and he couldn't help but notice how her skirt inched up even higher, teasing the eye with her long lean legs and hinting at what lie beneath… Lyra spoke.

"So, how did training go?" she asked him, and he blinked, trying to understand her words while also meeting her stunning gaze. He paused, pretending to think, and replied,

"I managed to make a pebble disappear from about three meters away," he told her, and her enthusiastic expression made him smile.

"You were able to specifically send it away? You can focus it now?" She asked him, and he nodded.

"I think maybe the next time I train it, I may be able to send something the size of a small stone." Kakashi watched his roommate's excited expression at his little successes, and it made him chuckle. He then saw her expression turn serious and she glared at him.

"Your eye hurts, doesn't it?" Kakashi's brow rose at her.

"How can you tell?" He watched as her hand unconsciously glowed blue.

"Your chakra seems a bit… disrupted. And after looking at you for a while, it stems from your Sharingan." Lyra looked at him with a stern face. Kakashi could read from her expression that she knew he had overused it today. She raised a glowing hand and he scooted away, smiling at her and said,

"It's fine; it should feel better in the morning." He watched in amusement as his roommate huffed with an adorable pout and she leaned over to grab his shirt. She pulled him closer to her and she gently pushed his headband up to lie horizontal on his forehead. He looked down at her with a smile and she raised a hand and rested it over his left eye. Kakashi almost sighed as he felt her pour her healing chakra into his throbbing eye, and he focused on the beautiful small smile coming from her face. His roommate healed him completely, but he could see the loss of chakra affect her. _She has already been though a day of training, and she still uses her little chakra left for today to ease my pain._

Kakashi lifted a hand and rested it on her smooth cheek in thanks. She smiled tiredly over to him and her eyes drifted to his drink. Kakashi watched as her eyes widened a bit, perhaps in memory. He was trying his best not to relate this evening to their first evening, which had looked much like this, them sitting next to each other in this bar. Lyra looked up at him and half-smiled a question to him.

"Do you think you could maybe…" she looked down and chuckled at herself. "Maybe keep an eye on me? I want to buy a drink and loosen up and all but I, well…" Her cheeks slightly blushed and Kakashi nodded, understanding what she was asking. _No way in hell will I let one of these drooling boys take advantage of my roommate._ Kakashi waved at the bartender for her.

Lyra smiled, oblivious at the oogling man and ordered herself a large sake. She eagerly took her first sip, and her sparkling smile seemed to light up the room as she began to lose her senses. She looked over at Gai.

"Hey Gai, I was talking to Neji today and he told me about one of your students knowing drunken fist?" Gai looked back at her with raised eyebrows and responded as she took another drink,

"Yes, my own Lee is a natural! He is normally powerful, but with just a sip of sake he transformed into a raging icon of youth!" Kakashi listened to Lyra's laughing as she talked to Gai about his student and about taijutsu, all while she consumed more and more alcohol.

Kakashi tried his best to keep his eyes from lingering, but that turned out to be quite hard.

_Why did she have to wear such revealing clothing?_ He watched her smile slowly turn from her innocent grin to that cocky half-smile as she transformed from her usual self to that woman he had met their first night. He couldn't keep the hot memories from flashing into his mind.

_The woman pushed him onto his bed; Kakashi's breathing heavy. She walked right up in front of him, looking down at his widened eyes with her arrogant smile as she slid a hand up her body to rest on the edge of her shirt. She slowly pulled it off of her, revealing her breasts that Kakashi had felt from groping her when her shirt was still on. She slid her pants down ever so slowly, never taking her wicked eyes off of his, and Kakashi swallowed as she continued to tease him. He reached out and grabbed her waist, and in one swift movement he pulled her towards him and made her straddle him on his lap. He looked up at those unbelievably beautiful eyes as she leaned down and kissed him, her lips telling him what she wanted from him. He eagerly gave it to her. _

Kakashi mentally shook his head as Lyra said something to him.

"Hmm?" He asked her, and he watched her confident eyes look at him like he was her prey.

"I said, let's get out of here before I buy more sake," she replied. She stood up from the stool in between them, putting less than a few inches between their bodies. Kakashi stared in her eyes and her red lips slowly formed her cocky half-smile. He swallowed as he tried not to kiss them.

She reached a hand out and laid it on his cheek, making him flinch at how close they were. Kakashi cursed himself for showing that weakness. He tried to continue breathing as he watched one of her perfect eyebrows rise and she asked,

"Well?" Kakashi forced his mind to form words.

"Yeah, we can go." Kakashi looked around and saw a multitude of men looking at his roommate, some blatantly staring at her and others sneaking peeks. This cleared his mind. He stood up as well and placed a hand on the small of her back, leading her out of the bar and into the night after waving at his friends.

As soon as he entered the kitchen with her, he felt a tension in the air. He heard her close the front door behind him, and he turned around to see her intense gaze staring him down.

Not many things could intimidate Kakashi the copy ninja, but this woman, she was one of them.

Kakashi watched her perfect mouth rise into her signature crooked smile, her silver orbs never leaving his eye as she stalked towards him slowly, taking her time.

He did his best to keep his bored expression up but it became almost impossible when she stood right before him, every feature of her body screaming at him to touch her. She cocked her head to the side slightly and looked at Kakashi with her fake innocence. She placed one of her small hands on his chest, sparking something deep within Kakashi's stomach.

He let himself put a hand on her cheek, needing to feel her soft skin. She tilted her head into his hand and closed her eyes with a smile, and her own hand explored his chest, making Kakashi heat up.

_What did she ask me of me in the bar?_

Kakashi put his other hand on her other cheek and ran it down her exposed neck, imagining himself kissing her there to remember what she tastes like.

_I'm supposed to be keeping her from sleeping with someone._

She pressed herself against him, her eyes opening again to meet his while her cool hand slipped under his shirt and ran over his stomach, her fingers leaving behind a trail of his shivers.

_Wait, what am I doing?_

Kakashi leaned down and nuzzled her slender neck, breathing in her exotic scent. Her scent was like a drug to him; he needed more of it. His arm wound around her waist and he pulled her closer to him, her cool fingers slipping up his shirt behind him to trail up his back. Kakashi felt himself shiver as her cool fingers ran down the length of his spine, and he backed her up against the counter, unconsciously grinding into her as she continued to light his body with desire.

_STOP. Lyra trusted you to keep her from sleeping with anyone…_

He felt her fingers on his face, on the edge of his mask, and he saw in her deep eyes the same desire he had in his.

_I need to stop, I can't let myself…_

He felt the thin material slid down his face and the cool sensation of air hit him only to be immediately replaced by Lyra's warm lips. His need exploded in his stomach and his veins turned to fire as he kissed her back with intensity, not believing how impossibly good she tasted.

_Stop, stop, she will never forgive you…_

Her tongue wrestled with his, and his hands explored her body that he knew so well while his mouth explored hers. He wanted to touch her, to feel her, he needed to feel every inch of her perfect body, and her damned clothing was in the way.

Suddenly, she pushed him off of her, and she tore her shirt off, revealing her laced lingerie. Both of them breathing heavily, he looked in her eyes and saw the intense desire he knew shown in his eye. She came at him and helped him force himself out of his shirt, and she wrapped her arms around his neck as he grabbed her waist and pulled her towards him. He almost felt relieved when his bare chest was finally able to be up against her skin, but then that relief turned into even more need.

_I am taking advantage of her. She is drunk. I…I need to stop._

Kakashi lifted her up on the counter, forcing himself between her legs as her long legs wrapped around his waist. Her skirt lifted even higher as her legs opened and Kakashi pressed his entire body against her, needing to feel friction.

_She is my roommate, she is my training partner, she is my friend…_

Kakashi picked her up like this and carried her to the bedroom, kissing her the entire way.

…_I need her._

* * *

**Thank you for reading, I would love it if you let me know what you think. :)**


	5. Old Friends

**It took a while to upload, but here's another.**

**Thank you for reading. :)**

* * *

**Kakashi**

Kakashi slowly opened his eye, his head throbbing from a hangover. He blinked a few times, trying to remember who he was. He had just awoken from the steamiest dream; it made his face redden as he recalled the incredible woman in it.

He flinched when he realized he didn't have a mask on, and he groped blindly beside him on his bedside table, trying to find one. There wasn't one waiting for him, which made his muggy mind suspicious.

_Last night must have been rough. Where was Lyra?_

He turned his head to look at his roommate, but she wasn't there beside him like she usually was. His eye widened and his shock awakened some of his senses as he realized he was naked under the sheets. And then last night came crashing into his mind.

Kakashi's eye widened even more as the sensual memories flooded into his mind; he couldn't breathe. He remembered everything from last night, and to his horror he realized that his dream had actually occurred and the incredibly sexy woman he spent the night with was...

He shut his eye, his face contorting into a frustrated glare directed at himself as he realized what he had done.

_I messed up…_

_I messed up so badly._

He brought his hands up to cover his face as he thought about his absent roommate; his closest friend no longer offering him the comfort of her presence like she usually did when he awoke next to her in the morning. She was gone, leaving his bed cold and uncomfortable, and he deserved it.

_She trusted me and I took advantage of her._

_I gave in to my selfish desires and I betrayed my friend's trust._

Kakashi's memory recalled the night when she had suffered from her PTS. Her gasps and sobs that had filled the night. Her PTS that had been caused by a man abusing her. By a man who had taken advantage of her. Kakashi's hands clenched and balled into fists in frustration.

_I am worse than trash._

A wave of loneliness washed over him as he pictured her disappointed face in his mind, her beautiful soul shining through her unnaturally guarded eyes as she looked at him in pain. Those eyes that had a never ending amount of strength shining through; those eyes that could understand what he was feeling just by looking at him; those eyes that never judged or accused but could lift his heart in happiness just with that crooked smile. Kakashi felt his heart clench.

And then, he smelled something. A smell of rich chocolate, and the sweet scent of fresh strawberries. It smelled so perfect his mind thought he must still be dreaming.

_Could she…still be here?_

This hope gave him the strength to sit up and find some clothes. He found a pair of pants and a shirt and pulled out a new mask. His mind still cloudy from the hangover, his sensory skills were pretty much shot. He slowly walked towards the door, completely prepared to ask for her forgiveness. He had no excuse, but he would apologize.

* * *

**Lyra**

I slid my spatula under the pancake and flipped it absently, my other hand on my burning forehead healing my headache.

_I got piss drunk last night._

I shook my head and sighed, hoping my roommate would like chocolate chips and strawberries in his pancakes as much as he liked them in his muffins. It was the least I could do after my inexcusable, irresponsible behavior last night.

_I acted so desperately, advancing on him like I did. He's probably disgusted with me._

_Hell, _I'm_ disgusted with me._

I started up the tea and breathed in deeply, trying to let the natural scent of the tea leaves relax my mind. I cringed as I felt his chakra approach the kitchen, and I stared at my pancakes, not prepared to see his face. I could feel my embarrassment and my regret boil up, and I clenched my fists. I felt his eye on me, and I blurted out,

"I made you some apology pancakes." I cringed again. I could feel his surprise like a physical wave through the air, and I summoned as much courage as I could find from some unknown depth inside me. He didn't respond, and I glanced over my shoulder at him.

"Please accept them. I feel horrible and… and pancakes make everything better." I turned a little more to see his eye, and I was met with more emotion than I had ever seen come from Kakashi before. My eyes widened involuntarily as I saw his own regret and embarrassment emit from his soft eye, and then he looked away from me in shame.

"Lyra, I… I took advantage of you last night." He said in his soft, mellow voice. He looked down. "I am so sorry." I stared at him, not believing he was blaming himself for my stupidity. _I knew what was going to happen when I drank. I acted on my own impulses, compromising my friend's happiness._

I walked over to him and placed a hand on his arm, but he wouldn't look at me. _Look at what I've done._

"I was the drunken crazy person who attacked you. That's why I'm apologizing." I reached my hand up to hold his face, the face of my friend. My dearest friend. "I'm just thankful you got my idiot ass home," I told him lightly. I watched his hand slowly come up and rest on mine that was on his cheek. This simple gesture, holding my hand on his cheek, felt so natural to me now, where as two months ago it would have been unimaginable.

"You asked me to watch out for…" He stopped when I shook my head and half-smiled up at him. I felt my eyes showing my embarrassment, and I expressed my apology as I lightly rubbed his cheek with my thumb. I felt his face relax under my hand, and I spoke to him honestly.

"We were both pretty drunk last night." I raised my other hand and lightly rested it on his forehead, healing his headache. His eye slowly came up to meet mine, and he saw my honesty. I saw his guilt. I spoke to him with my eyes, showing my regret for my irresponsible behavior and my care towards him as my friend. _We were both drunk and thoughtless, but I guess we both kind of wanted what happened last night. And we both still cherish our friendship more than anything._ I pushed my soothing chakra into him and I smiled at him, and his eye softened, understanding and agreeing with me as he nodded slightly in my hand.

His hand came down from mine and he grasped my shoulders and pulled me into a deep hug, one hand gently holding the back of my head and the other holding my lower back, reminding me of two nights before. My eyes wide from this usually stoic and serious man showing me affection once again, I relaxed into the warm body of my friend and hugged him back as I closed my eyes and smiled into his soft shirt. His body was so familiar to me; I knew he had a small scar on his back where my right hand was holding him and the muscles in his arms shifting around me felt as commonplace as the muscles in my own arms. His hands stayed still on my body, but they held me firmly as we expressed our feelings and thoughts through the best method we had of communicating; touch.

I raised my head up to rest my chin on his shoulder and I smiled into his ear.

"So there are fresh pancakes over there on the counter and I don't know about you, but I am absolutely _famished_." I heard and felt his deep chuckle as he released me and smiled down at me. He looked over at the counter and I saw his interest pike as he smelled the chocolate and the strawberries. I grabbed his hand and pulled him over to the counter, breathing in deeply as my stomach screamed at me to feed it. Kakashi grabbed some cups and poured us some tea while I put a couple pancakes on a plate for him and a couple on another for me. I met his eye and smiled at him before turning my attention to the tantalizing pancakes.

* * *

**Kakashi**

The two ate their pancakes and Kakashi watched his roommate, deep in thought. _She is acting so normal around me, as if last night never happened._ He smiled as he watched her stab the poor pancake with her fork and devour it with passion. _I suppose that is for the best._

Kakashi enjoyed his own pancakes, swearing to himself he will someday find her mystery herb that gave everything she made such a unique flavor. He smiled again when he remembered that she had made them for him. _I have a wonderful roommate._

He watched her back as she ate, smiling at her ruffled mane tumbling down her shoulders and back, giving her usual wild and exotic look finality. She had the spirit of a lion, her strength and ferocity emitting from her lean, muscled body that moved with purpose and grace. Only she had a confidence in herself that was somehow also humble. Her kindness towards others and her love to heal people must balance out and smooth down her durable and tough fighting spirit.

Kakashi finished his pancakes and walked over to the sink to start the hot water when he heard Lyra clear her throat behind him. He looked over his shoulder at his blushing roommate trying to form words in her mouth. She looked everywhere but him, her sweet face in an embarrassed frown. The sight was adorable.

"…Kakashi…Can I um see your back for a moment?" Kakashi raised his eyebrows. His hand reached up behind him to feel his skin when she hastily approached him and grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"Um it's all right, I'll just heal it real quick and it'll be like it never…" Kakashi turned to her and she cringed, and he felt his back with his other hand. His eyes widened.

He had scratch marks all along his back, and they had been caused by nails. Memories of their heated time last night flashed through his mind once again. He looked at Lyra's red face and his eyebrows rose high and a small smile formed on his lips.

"Did I sleep with a woman last night or with a cat?" Kakashi asked her, and her redness doubled as she glared at him, looking exasperated, making Kakashi chuckle lightly at her being flustered.

"Hey, you ass! I'm not the only one who left marks!" She looked away from him as his eyebrows rose even higher.

"Where?" He asked her amusedly. She wouldn't look at him, her adorable features huffing at him as she glared in his direction. She unconsciously crossed her arms and Kakashi watched one of her hands slide down to her hip, faintly glowing blue.

Kakashi reached a hand out and slowly reached towards her hip, making Lyra back herself into the counter. She glared up at Kakashi as he chuckled at her flustered reaction to their actions last night.

Then he remembered. He remembered what his roommate had been through before. He remembered that she had been touched, abused, _raped_ by a man, leaving her with scars and hellish memories that had caused this steadfast woman to suffer from post traumatic stress.

Kakashi felt his stomach twist in guilt. His tone got a little more serious.

"Lyra, where did I hurt you?" His tone made her look up at him and read his eyes, and she shook her head with her small smile that relayed to him her strength, replying in honesty,

"It's not bad at all, don't worry about it…" She stopped when Kakashi grasped her chin and made her look him in his eye. He knew his training partner had the physical, mental, and emotional strength and fortitude of a very high leveled shinobi, but that didn't excuse his actions. He searched her beautiful eyes and found her reliable intelligence and vitality shining from them as she looked back at him with her understanding and kindness. He looked deeper into the eyes of his close friend and roommate and found the tiniest hint of sadness, covered by her courage and strength of today but forever lingering from the life changing horror she experienced years ago.

"I'm sorry, Lyra." Kakashi released her chin and gently reached down to lightly slide her shirt up a couple inches, his fingers soft against her skin.

Lyra had a string of bruises on both of her hips. They were positioned where his hands had gripped her last night roughly and… Kakashi closed his eye, anger at himself beginning to boil when he realized the bruises he had left on her lay over the scars she had from the night another man had abused her. _I did this to her. _He felt Lyra place her comforting hand on his cheek.

"It's alright, Kakashi. I can heal these in a few seconds, no big deal," her tone was reassuring, but it didn't help his anger. She leaned into him and wound her arms around him, her tender hands slipping under his shirt and quickly healing the love wounds she had left on him during their rough and passionate night. Kakashi lightly took her hands and removed them from his back and placed them on her hips. He looked down this entire time, wondering why his drunken self had thought it was okay to bruise his roommate and friend. Lyra seemed to read his mind.

"You can't blame yourself, Kakashi. Alcohol is a wicked thing. And knowing me, I probably wanted it and asked for it…" Kakashi glanced up at her and watched her cover up her embarrassment by half-smiling. Her deep eyes held the familiar strength that shone her fortitude and stability, reminding Kakashi that his roommate could deal with any trouble that comes her way. Her hands already on her hips, she teased him,

"How come you can't injure me this well when we are actually fighting?" She smiled as his eyebrows rose. Just like that, she erased his anger and replaced it with amusement.

Her bruises gone, Kakashi swiftly grabbed his roommate and lifted her up, making her shriek in surprise, and threw her over his shoulder.

"Kakas- _Fuck!_" Lyra flailed as Kakashi carried her into the bedroom. She was streaming curses at him as he threw her on the bed with a deep chuckle, smiling at her with his own teasing expression.

She looked up at him with her glaring half-smile and she grabbed a pillow and hurled it towards him, which he caught instinctively. He didn't see the second one coming as it hit him in the face.

Kakashi blinking, Lyra doubled over laughing. He took the pillow and threw it back at her, which she dodged, her happy face still giggling. Kakashi ran to the bed and reached for the same pillow Lyra was reaching for, and their fighting began. She wrestled with him for it, the two pushing and shoving in their match to steal the pillows, and Lyra laughed as Kakashi grabbed her waist in his effort to stop her from grabbing a pillow and accidentally tickled her. Before he knew it, she was sitting on top of him, straddling him, and whacking him with a pillow as he blocked it with another pillow. Her laughter filling the room with an air of merriment, Kakashi chuckled as his friend continued to fight him over the pillows.

They stopped, both of them breathing heavily, Kakashi smiling at her messy orange head as she held up his pillow in triumph. Her own smile beaming down at him as he playfully struggled from underneath her, she asked him,

"Any last words, Hatake Kakashi of the Sharingan?" She raised the pillow for a final blow and Kakashi chuckled out,

"Lyra, your bra is showing." She gasped in surprise, fumbling at her clothes with a blush, and gave Kakashi an opportunity to seize her and twist them so she lay under him. The tables suddenly turned, her surprised face grinning as Kakashi pinned her down, Lyra jokingly struggling under his hold.

"A ninja must know her weaknesses," he lightly scolded her, and her eyebrows rose as her face took on a mischievous expression. She suddenly stopped struggling under him and her eyes closed, her face taking on a calm and peaceful expression, surprising Kakashi. He watched one of her perfect eyebrows rise slightly and her deep, beautiful eyes opened under him and shone him with their silver light, inviting him into their depths and making Kakashi blink at her beauty. Lyra's lips slowly rose into her signature half-smile, and the tiniest hint of confidence entered her attractive face as she gazed up into Kakashi's eye intensely. Kakashi swallowed as she slowly leaned towards him and she lightly nuzzled his neck, making him shiver. He could feel her hips under his as he pinned her down, and she shifted under him ever so slightly, making him feel the curve of her toned lower body up against his, and Kakashi felt himself heat up as a slight blush peeked out from under his mask.

Suddenly, he felt himself being pushed back, and her laughing face smiled down at him as she straddled him and pinned him down once again.

"Same goes to you!" She lightly laughed as Kakashi blushed and he closed his eye and chuckled back at her.

"That was absolutely unfair," He complained, trying to return to his calm and composure.

"Not at all; that strategy would have worked on me too. I just beat you to it," she replied automatically, and then she stopped as Kakashi opened his eye and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. She blushed and looked away. She smiled off into the distance, and Kakashi could tell she was just as aware and was just as affected at their close contact. Kakashi placed his hands on her hips that were above his as she sat on him, making her flinch. Completely moving on instinct, he slowly sat up while keeping her straddled on his lap, and she blinked as their faces became inches apart. His eye captured hers, or her eyes captured his; he couldn't tell. Kakashi felt himself slowly slide his hands up her hips to her waist, and she blushed as they felt a familiar heat between them, unlike the heat they felt every morning when they train. Kakashi watched her eyes fight a battle inside her own mind, and he wondered what the battle was over.

She blinked suddenly and then she glared at him with her smile and said lightly,

"Yes, like that, you ass." She got up off of him and threw another pillow at him, her crooked smile up. Kakashi caught the pillow as he swallowed his feelings and watched his roommate get off the bed and try to put the room back in order. She seemed restless, and she looked over at him after throwing all the pillows back on the bed.

"Can we train together today?" She asked him directly, and he saw her pent up energy and determination. Kakashi smiled slightly at his dedicated training partner.

"Yes."

* * *

**Lyra**

I reached down a hand and Kakashi grabbed it, letting me help him up from the ground. We were both covered in sweat, breathing hard and in the middle of our training. I met his eye.

"Good, faster this time. Try to intercept me as I fake right again," I told Kakashi as we stopped to catch our breaths. He nodded at me, his red Sharingan flashing at me as I smiled over at him and got into a ready stance. I crouched down and ran at him like I had before, assisting him in a countering drill. I approached him quickly, his energy filled gaze locked with mine, and I jumped high, beginning the attack pattern we were working on. I threw a punch at him as I flipped over and he blocked it, and my leg came out of nowhere to trip him. He jumped over it, spinning to land a kick as I landed, and I dodged the blow, faking right like a skilled enemy would, and came at him with medium speed.

_**LANYRA!**_

I gasped and faltered, hearing the call from deep within me, unlike the calls I get from Fireball. This one was urgent. I wavered and almost fell from a shock wave I felt blast through me, and Kakashi barely stopped his punch he was aiming at me. I fell forward, my body not listening to what I wanted it to do as my mind was trying to comprehend the scream of agony I just heard.

Kakashi caught me before I hit the ground, and I saw his worry filled eyes as he checked my pulse and my temperature in haste.

"Lyra? Lyra, what's wrong?" His soft, serious voice awoke something within me, and I shook my head, regaining control over my body. I flinched and cringed in my friend's arms as I felt pain ripple through my limbs.

_What is happening?! Which dragon needs me this drastically?!_

I turned over in Kakashi's arms and coughed up blood, causing him to clutch me even tighter. The pain, the pain was everywhere. I began to shake from my spasming muscles; the pain was beginning to turn my vision red. I needed to summon him now.

"Kakashi, I… I need…" I coughed up more blood, my body betraying me as I tried to build up enough chakra for him. I reached out to the ground and performed a summoning jutsu.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!" I coughed out, and the ground around us exploded.

I felt Kakashi grab me and jump us into a tree, quickly turning me over and looking me in the eyes, both his onyx eye and his Sharingan full of surprise and worry.

"Lyra, what…?" A mighty roar bellowed from below us, shaking the trees and the ground, and Kakashi held me tighter. I pat his arm, finally relieved from the pain I was feeling, and I told him with my eyes it was alright. I unwound myself from his arms and took a small step on the branch, wiping the blood from my mouth with the back of my hand.

The smoke finally clearing, I got a good look at the dragon who was so desperately calling me.

There, lying on the ground amid the smoke and debris, was a dark blue dragon much bigger than the size of a house. His head itself was the size of a bedroom; his crystal blue eyes each the size of a large dinner plate. He roared in pain again, the sound shaking the tree we were in and sending a blast of wind that made me almost lose my balance. I noticed then the large rivulets of bright red blood that were streaming down his scaled chest from large stab wounds, and he was missing his left back claw, his red stump soaking the earth in his lifeblood as he slowly bled out. The giant beast lay on his back with his giant wings folded underneath him. One of his large claws dug a meter into the earth and crumbled a rock in his anguish, and I looked up to meet his crystal, pain filled gaze.

"Mizuryuu!" I yelled over to him, and he rumbled the earth in response. I jumped down the tree and sprinted to him, not knowing where to begin. "Mizuryuu, _what happened_?!" I reached his head where it lay on the ground, his scaled brow furrowed in pain. His monstrous tail slammed against the ground in his agony, swiping away trees like they were twigs. I jumped on top of him and ran to his bleeding chest, my own brow furrowing as I saw how deep the stab wounds were. I stood still for a few seconds, gathering the nature energy around me while I listened to the dragon speak in his impossibly deep growl that rumbled the earth.

"Lyra… It began. The riot you predicted…" The dragon paused to cough out blood, and I tried to balance on his rolling chest as his words sunk in. _It actually happened…_ I opened my eyes, fully in sage mode, and I summoned ten water clones and four earth clones. Mizuryuu is a water dragon, so my water clones will be most effective when I send them my healing chakra. I sent five water clones and the earth clones to his bleeding leg to begin making a tourniquet and kept five with me on his chest. We began the healing process immediately. _I can hear his explanation after I save him._

"Lyra… Our group's cave was demolished…" I looked over at his icy gaze, shock on my face. Mizuryuu coughed again, and I yelled over at him,

"Please stop speaking, Mizuryuu! Your chest…" I poured my chakra into him, and I shut my eyes to concentrate on pulling energy from the elements around me. I felt Kakashi's shock as he crouched in the tree, and then I focused on the bleeding beast under me. My bleeding friend. I summoned more clones to leave on his chest and I ran for his leg, satisfied that he won't immediately die from his stab wounds at the moment. I formed the Earth hand sign and I created a ring of stone over his stump with the assistance of my clones. I slowly tightened it, trying to ignore the dragon's painful bellows as I stopped the bleeding. I then formed the hand sign for fire and filled my lungs with chakra, and blew it over his leg, causing his massive body to thrash and fell even more trees but stopping the bleeding and saving his life. The earth under me shook as I sprinted to his chest and finished sealing his wounds, most of my clones gone from the exhausted chakra.

I felt the nature chakra leave my system and I stumbled on Mizuryuu's chest, finally collapsing from my chakra loss. _I just healed a two story tall dragon._ I felt the dragon heave a relieved sigh from under me, and I closed my eyes in exhaustion.

"Lyra… You saved my life once again." I felt him rumble under me, and I felt a small smile emerge from my lips.

"And… you didn't even… warn me this time…" I got out, and I felt my head bang against him as his chest rose up and down as he chuckled deeply at me. His giant head rose up to look at me collapsed on his chest and his eyes looked over at Kakashi jumping down from the tree.

"Human male." He addressed a shocked Kakashi with his rumbling speech. "Will you carry Lyra from my chest to the ground beside my head so I may speak with her properly?" I lifted my head to look over at my roommate. He slowly approached us, and I felt sorry I had to introduce him to another one of my old friends in such an intense way. I felt Kakashi's chakra beside me, and I looked up at him, trying to smile and be reassuring.

"Hey, Kakashi… sorry about this," I tried, and he just simply shook his head and gave me a confused smile as he gently picked me up into his arms. I tried not to completely relax and look relieved as I felt his strong arms hold me to his bare chest, making me feel so comfortable and inviting me to take a nap in my friend's arms. I struggled to stay conscious, refusing to let his familiar scent lull me to sleep. _I used up a lot of chakra._

He carried me over to the ground beside Mizuryuu's head and gently lowered me down, sitting beside me and holding me up as I looked up into my old friend's giant eyes. His gaze held such wisdom and experience, and I smiled up to him, missing being in the company of these mystical beasts. Then my gaze became serious.

"So, they actually attacked this time?" I asked him, and his massive head creaked as he nodded against the ground, digging a ditch a foot deep.

"The rebel group attacked Green Mountain, destroying caves and murdering anyone who came before them." I watched his eyes close in pain, and my hand came up to my mouth, my own shock stiffening my muscles and making my heart clench.

"They targeted the villages? Not the Elders?" I felt anger enter my vision and my hands clenched. The Dragon Island had a government system set up much like the human Hidden Villages, except the Dragon Island could keep its peace and prosper without going to wars. The lifestyle there operated much like the Toads of Mount Myoboku, except recently, a rebel group had arisen and had begun to try to thwart the peace the Elders held. _Except these rebels have turned out to be terrorists._

"Yes. We fought them and killed most of them, but not before they damaged the clans." I watched his eyes open and peer down at me. "I apologize for forcing you to summon me, Lyra. But I have important intel that needs to be reported." I nodded in understanding and focused on recovering my strength. Then a thought hit me.

"Do they need me to return?" I asked him, and his eyes met mine with patience and logic.

"I don't know. We captured the remaining rebels and I killed the last one trying to escape, but not before he injured me." He sighed deeply, his exhale almost pushing Kakashi and me onto our backs with the force of the wind. "But it seems for now, the threat has been resolved."

I nodded and closed my eyes, letting myself breathe again. I opened my eyes and looked over at my quiet roommate.

"Kakashi, this is my friend and old training partner, Mizuryuu." Kakashi looked at me and then looked up to meet the strong gaze of the colossal dragon as he rumbled the earth around us. Kakashi's eyes blinked as he looked upon the scaled monster. Mizuryuu inhaled to respond in his deep voice,

"You, human male. I smell your scent on Lyra." I watched Kakashi look back at the dragon's icy gaze and look over at me, his eyes wide. Not in fear, but in surprise. I looked up at the protective dragon and said,

"Mizuryuu, this is my friend, Kakashi. He is my current training partner, and my roommate. Or, cavemate," I told the dragon, and he returned his attention to me, his hard gaze returning to the soft one he always gave me. I smiled over to the dragon in reassurance, and he looked back at my roommate as he rumbled.

"…Kakashi. I trust Lyra's judgment more than I trust my own. As it is with being one's training partner, as I assume you know." Kakashi nodded up at the beast and he looked at me and met my gaze, giving me a small smile. The salutations cleared, I looked up at my old partner.

"Mizuryuu, does your led hurt?" I asked him, and his eyes closed.

"Not unbearably." I watched the large eyes open slowly and look down at me, his hard scales on his brow softening and his frown diminishing. He rumbled his growling speech. "I've missed you, Lyra. The island hasn't been the same since you left." My own frown softened and I smiled at him, realizing my couple months of absence after leaving was actually around half a year on that island, due to the difference in the time rates.

"I miss all of you as well. How is Inazuma? And Raijruu, and Kazekaiju?" The beast's large fanged snout rose in a smile.

"They are all fine. We have all been waiting for you to visit." My eyebrows rose. He continued in his rumble, "Well, Fireball hasn't waited. Have you indulged him in your human alcohol?" I smiled and chuckled at the mention of our pesky friend.

"No. He may be the smallest, but with a little sake he turns quite ferocious." His giant head nodded in agreement. I slowly stood up and walked over to his face. I placed a hand on his scales and I smiled at his eye, wishing we could talk more. But we had made a lot of noise, and I was sure somebody was sent to investigate. Lady Tsunade knew about the dragons, but I didn't know if she wanted everyone else to know by seeing this giant bleeding one surrounded by a patch of ruined forest as their first introduction to this mystical race. I looked into Mizuryuu's deep blue eye, and my old training partner read my thoughts.

The beast raised his giant head from the ground and slowly turned so he lay crouched, shaking the earth and the trees by his muscled weight. He looked down at me and my roommate on the ground, and he rumbled,

"Thank you again, Lyra. Remember that you are always welcome back to the island. You will forever have a home there to return to." He paused as he adjusted his injured leg, and his massive wings, each larger than his body, began to unfold. "Take care in your human world."

Before I could respond, he disappeared in a giant cloud of smoke, and I stood there as it dissipated, lost in thought for a moment. I looked over at my roommate and met his soft expression that was full of worry.

"I'm sorry about that, Kakashi. I'm kind of drained; I won't be able to continue training today," I said, and I rubbed my neck and chuckled. He took a step towards me and I looked up to meet his eyes.

"It is alright, Lyra." He continued to look at me with his calm and comforting eyes. "Your body is covered in blood, however. If a group of ninja arrive, they will be suspicious." I looked down and realized he was right; my body was soaked in Mizuryuu's blood.

I summoned what little chakra I had left and formed an earth seal followed by a water seal. I quickly formed a shallow pool in the ground that was full of clear, fresh spring water. I took off my belt with my bags and my leaf headband and laid them on the ground, and I untied my hair from the knot I had put it in and shook out the waves. I lowered myself into water and began washing the blood off of me, enjoying the feel of the cool water on my heated body.

I looked up as Kakashi came to sit next to me on the ground, his own expression showing him deep in thought. _Well I would be too if I had just met a dragon as large as Mizuryuu just now_.

"Would you care to join me?" I asked him, and his eyebrows rose as he pulled his headband over his left eye. He looked around us and surveyed the large clearing that had been cleared by the giant dragon, with the ground beaten into crumbled rock and the trees fallen over as if they were grass blades. My little pool was in the middle of this clearing. He looked back at me, his expression amused at the bizarre situation, and replied,

"Well, why not?" He slowly lowered himself into the pool and we unwound in the shallow spring as we relaxed our muscles and recovered from the events that transpired.

I opened my eyes and looked at my roommate as he pulled out his book and lounged in the spring with his hand behind his head, unintentionally posing like a male model. We were in our training garb, so I had the full view of this famous ninja in nothing but some shorts and his mask with his headband, leaning back in my spring with his signature bored expression.

I smiled.

I looked up as I felt chakra approach us from the direction of the village. A minute passed, and I could tell it was four people, and Sakura and Neji were among them. I looked over at Kakashi and I could tell he smelled them, and he didn't seem worried at all. I leaned back against the wall of the spring and I closed my eyes, listening to the birds above me sing their cheerful song.

Five minutes later, the four ninja entered the clearing and beheld the odd sight of Kakashi and me lounging in a spring in the middle of a war zone. I looked over at them and waved.

"Hey, Sakura!" I called, and she waved back. The four approached us, and I looked at the two unknown ninjas. One of them held an air of intelligence, and his sharp eyes were analyzing everything around him. The other practically emitted chakra, his energy and passion were almost visible, and he was dressed in very similar garb as Gai. I felt Neji's eyes on me, and I looked at him and saw a slight blush on his cheeks as his eyes trailed along my body and he took in my and Kakashi's appearances. _Oh, right. I'm not wearing much clothing._ Neji nodded at me when he noticed me looking at him, and I smiled at him. Sakura said,

"Hey, Lyra," she responded to me but her wide eyes were on her shirtless sensei. I didn't blame her. Not one bit. I looked at the intelligent shinobi as he addressed me.

"You are Lyra? Do you know what happened here?" He asked as he took in the damage and debris, and I thought quickly on my feet.

"Yes, Kakashi and I tried some new techniques when training today. We can level the earth easily once we regain a bit of chakra." His eyes looked into mine, searching for the truth. Unfortunately for him, I had served in the Anbu for part of my life and I had been given spy missions from a young age. As much as I hated it, I knew how to lie. The shinobi eventually found no problem in my answer, and he looked at the other three.

"Well, it's as Lady Tsunade said. False alarm." I watched the four relax, and I felt my eyebrows rise.

"What is your name?" I asked him, and he looked at me. His eyes were sharp, but not unkind.

"I am Shikamaru, and this is Lee and Neji. Sakura, Neji and I were on hand when Lady Fifth felt the tremors, and she sent us to investigate." The mini-Gai spoke up.

"And they ran into me on the way while I was training." I smiled at him, replying,

"You are Lee, right? I am friends with Gai; I've heard much about you. It's a pleasure to meet you both." Shikamaru nodded at me with his own lazy smile and Lee threw out a hand to shake with me, reminding me so much of Gai.

"I am honored to meet a friend of Gai sensei's!" he proclaimed, making me smile as I reached up to shake his hand. I heard Shikamaru and Neji greet Kakashi, and I asked them,

"Would you all care to join us? The water is so refreshing," I told them, and Sakura practically jumped in next to me. I laughed at her enthusiasm as she took her shoes off and sat on the edge, dipping her feet in and sighing at the cool water. I met her happy eyes and she told me,

"Lyra, you wouldn't _believe_ the genin I had to treat today, he had two kunais in his stomach and I decided to first numb the nerves before I…" Sakura went on and she told me about how she treated the genin, and we proceeded to complain about how stupid the young ones were. This made Sakura tell me about her old teammate Naruto and how he would always get himself hurt, and Kakashi joined in when they began to recount tales of Naruto's unpredictable behavior as they traveled around as genin.

I got to know Shikamaru and Lee as the other three dipped their feet in the water, talking to Shikamaru about Shogi strategies and stories and talking with Lee about strong fist techniques. I asked Neji about the air cannon technique he used yesterday, making his small smile appear as he began to explain the finer points of the gentle fist technique. I inquired about the speed and the concentration, and Neji happily talked with me about the different factors that go into gentle fist, and I in turn compared and contrasted them to the traditional strong fist and the hybrid version I preferred. I finally inquired about his eyes, and he replied with another small smile that they didn't hurt at all, making me smile back at him.

Before we knew it, the sun began to set low against the horizon, and Shikamaru complained that it was a drag but he had to be home for dinner. Sakura also said her goodbyes, and I promised her I would come and help out at the hospital soon. Lee ran off after challenging me to a duel, and Neji stayed behind to talk to me.

"Hinata sama is back, but you are welcome to come by again and train with us whenever you'd like." His serious face was softened by his kind eyes, and I smiled at him.

"Sure, I enjoyed our spar and I'd love to fight against the gentle fist again," I replied, and he closed his eyes and nodded with his smile. He left after saying his goodbyes, and I turned to Kakashi who was still reading his book in the dying light, ignoring the rest of the world. I waded over to him and sat next to him, admiring the orange and red sky as it slowly darkened, pulling the world around us into a world of shadows. Kakashi and I fell into our comfortable silence, and I felt I could sit there forever and relax with this friend, never needing to say another word. Kakashi and I had this in common, our preference to silence over light talk. I felt his strong arm lightly drape over my shoulders, and I leaned into him and rested my head on his shoulder, feeling absolutely comfortable as the day slowly turned into night. My stomach, however, had to remind me that we skipped lunch. I looked up at Kakashi and was about to say something when he spoke.

"You are hungry, aren't you?" He asked me, and my eyebrows rose.

"I am, actually," and then I frowned. "How'd you know?" I looked up at him and he looked down, meeting my eyes with his amused one.

"You are always hungry," he replied, and I chuckled, admitting that was true.

"Well, what should we get? I think we still have some rice in the fridge," I mused and he shrugged.

"We can walk around the market," he suggested, and I nodded.

"We need to grab some dish soap on the way home too."

I smiled as I got up out of the spring and shook my hair out. I retrieved my bags and I gave Kakashi his clothes as I pulled on mine in the dying light. I turned around to see Kakashi looking at me thoughtfully, and my eyebrow rose.

"Getting an idea for dinner?" I asked him, and his eye focused on mine. His hidden face slightly smiled at me and I turned around towards the large, messy clearing. I formed an earth hand seal, and I felt Kakashi do the same behind me. As one, we leveled the earth around us and returned the waves and crevices in the ground to a flattened state. I looked over to the left and I saw that our lunch tree had been spared, making me smile. Kakashi and I headed back to the village, the familiar fatigue in our limbs encouraging us to return home to relax like we usually did.

We picked up some vegetables and noodles, and we stopped to talk to one of the vendors when she called us over to her. Kakashi and I talked for a while but quickly made our excuses, wanting to get home and eat.

We arrived home and I flew into a frenzy, heating water and cutting up the vegetables with speed and precision in my hunger. I felt Kakashi's eye on me and I glanced back at him to see him smiling.

"You are quite scary when you are hungry," he commented at my enthusiasm lightly, and I half-smiled back at him. He came next to me and helped me prepare the food, the two of us working efficiently. We had prepared so many meals on this counter and stove over the last month, the pots and knives I held in my hand felt as familiar to me as a kunai or shuriken.

I thought of my old home in that cave I lived in on the island for so many years. The cave was unlike anything that could be found on the human mainland; I guess I would more properly describe it as a cavern. The dragons on that island lived in deep, massive caverns that lie inside and under the many mountains there. Green Mountain was the most inhabited by dragons and their families, and was where I spent most of my training days with the friends I made. One dragon from each of the major clans were told by the Elders to live with me and train with me in a massive cavern near the top of Green Mountain, and it was there that they taught me techniques unique to dragons and I shared my techniques unique to humans. I also learned how to master Senjutsu there, and those dragons I was cavemates with became some of my closest friends as we grew with each other and became strong.

We ate our dinner in our silence and we washed the dishes like every other night, the familiar and menial motions relaxing me. I kept feeling Kakashi's eye on me from time to time but I assumed he was just thinking about the eventful day we just had.

We took our showers and readied ourselves for bed, and I slipped on one of Kakashi's shirts to wear since the laundry was still drying. I took out the graphic novel I was currently reading and settled onto my side of the bed, propping myself up with a couple pillows and sighing in content. I felt Kakashi lay next to me and he rested his head on my lap with his own novel, both of us shifting next to each other to find the most comfortable position for us to read in. I unconsciously reached a hand down and ran my fingers through Kakashi's soft hair, making him relax on me and causing me to smile slightly as I engrossed myself in my smut book.

We may have lain like that for hours; or it could have been just minutes. I eventually looked down as I felt Kakashi's head slightly turn on my lap to see his eye closed and a peaceful expression on his face. His hands held his book on his chest and he drifted into the dream world as I continued to play with his messy hair, massaging him to sleep.

Smiling, I gently picked up his book and placed it on my bedside table along with my own. I slowly lifted his head off of my lap and shifted him to his own side of the bed with the grace of a shinobi. I turned our lights off and closed my own eyes, smiling at my roommate and friend as I too drifted off into the world of our dreams, more content and happy than I had ever been.

* * *

I walked into the Hokage's office, eager to hear what the Fifth wanted when she had sent Sakura to fetch me this morning. The sun was shining through the windows, highlighting the blonde woman sitting at her desk in front of me and the multitude of papers spilling off of the desk. I bowed after entering through the door.

"You wanted to see me, Lady Tsunade?" We were alone in the office; Shizune and Sakura must have had something else to do.

Tsunade looked up at me and met my eyes with her hard ones, smiling a small smile in her attempt to look polite as she exuded haste.

"Yes. You have had a little over a month to recover from your long mission; are you ready to receive another mission?" Her hand reached for the sake bottle and stopped midway as she read something on the papers on her desk.

"I am ready, Lady Tsunade. I appreciate the long break; I have improved my skills while I recovered mentally from the travel." She nodded while continuing to read something on her desk.

"Yes, I have heard of your training with Kakashi." Her eyes glanced up at me, her strong gaze calculating but not unkind. "The rumors about your training methods have spread across the village."

I blinked and brought a hand up to scratch the back of my head.

"Well, we just train mostly with our taijutsu and touch on our ninjutsu." I watched a small, knowing smile come from my Hokage.

"I have heard. I am just surprised you haven't killed each other yet." She looked down again to the document on her desk. She gathered a couple papers and rolled them up, storing them in a leather tube for travel. She sealed the top and looked up at me.

"These documents regard our newly formed alliance with the Sand. These are too important to deliver by messenger birds; they must be delivered by hand. The Sand too has documents to deliver to us, and we agreed to meet halfway." She looked down at the tube and frowned. "There was some miscommunication on when we would meet up; the messenger bird ran into a storm on its way here and the date the Kazekage had picked is tonight at sunset."

I eyebrows rose; it would be almost impossible to travel to the Sand in less than a day. Tsunade continued.

"I would try to change the date but the group to receive us is most likely already traveling." She looked up at me. "We have agreed to meet on the border of the Land of Rain and the Land of Rivers; in between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind."

I nodded, knowing what she would ask me. Tsunade rested her chin on a hand, leaning on her desk with a thoughtful expression.

"Regarding your previous mission. Do you have the means to… _ride_ one of your dragons?" I smiled.

"Yes. Travel by air is much faster than travel by land. I will be able to meet the Sand group by sunset." Tsunade nodded, almost looking relieved.

"Good. You must set out immediately; here is a map showing the meeting point. Deliver this tube of documents and receive theirs to return to me. That is all your mission entails, but it must be done quickly."

She handed me the tube and the map and I bowed, quickly retreating from the room and walking fast to return home.

_My Hokage is utilizing my friendship with the dragons._ I began to sprint home after exiting the building, reviewing everything I would need to bring on a one day mission. _I bet Kazekaiju wouldn't mind helping me out. He always did enjoy a race._

I flew past villagers and other ninja, checking my bags to see if I had enough food pills and water for the trip. I knew Kakashi would be out training his Mangekyo today so I shoved my key into the lock and hastily walked into our apartment, despairing at the mess we had in the kitchen. I grabbed a rag and then thought,

_I have to be out of the Land of Fire in a few hours; cleaning can wait._

I grabbed a napkin and flew around looking for a pen. Failing to find one, I lit my finger tip with a tiny flame and burned a sloppy message on the napkin for my roommate.

_Quick mission; I'll be back tomorrow_

_We forgot soap yesterday_

_L_

I took out my bottle and filled it with water while reaching into the counter to grab a couple food pills. I began to build up chakra; summoning Kazekaiju would take a bit. He wasn't as monstrous in size as Mizuryuu but he was powerful.

I danced around the apartment in haste, finding a bedroll and some kunai in case I am forced into combat. _I have to go! _

I locked the door on my way out and jumped onto the roof, looking around the village at all of the bustling people swarming on the ground like ants. All of the people who would freak if they saw my summoning.

Groaning, I leaped and sprinted across buildings, startling the civilians as I waved my apology while flying past them. My hair was streaming behind me, the wind cooling my face and the sun warming my back as I ran to the village wall, eager to succeed in my mission. I felt my packs with my hands, double checking I had everything and adjusting the large leather tube I had strapped across my back. The map was tucked in my belt, secure as I made my way across the large, sprawling village in the western direction.

Exiting out of the west gate, I ran for a little longer, hiding within the trees and looking for a small clearing. I stopped, breathing heavily, and finished summoning the right amount of chakra. I bit my finger slightly and drew a bit of blood and formed the summoning hand signs.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" I slapped my hand on the ground and braced myself as the earth rumbled and the wind picked up, whirling my hair around my face and making it hard to see.

"Lyra! What a surprise!" I heard the deep, energetic voice, the smoke still whirling as the wind dragon settled onto the earth. I looked up at the white dragon, his body the size of a bedroom, his head a little smaller than a couch. His black, ebony eyes, each a little larger than an apple, blinked down at me as I smiled up at my old friend. He ruffled his white scales and stretched out his giant wings, each much larger in ratio to his body than the other dragons. Kazekaiju was made for flying. Flying fast. His lean body rippled with muscle and his long tail twitched, displaying his pent up energy. I met his kind eyes.

"Kazekaiju, I need your help. I need to deliver these documents by sunset and I won't be able to get there on foot in time." I watched the dragon visibly shudder with his excitement, and he roared into the sky, startling birds to fly off into the distance in fear of this predator. The beast looked down at me, his fanged snout forming into a grin, and replied,

"A race against time! Always the best of races!" I smiled as he crouched low onto the ground and extended a leg, making it easier for me to jump onto his back. I leaped onto the white dragon and settled between two spikes along his spine, scratching his side with my fingers in thanks. His head looked over his shoulder at me and I held up the map and pointed to the rendezvous spot.

"Thank you Kazekaiju; I owe you one!" He nodded and crouched even lower, building up strength to propel us off of the ground and into the air. I held on to the spike in front of me and braced myself for the unreal sensation of being thrust into the air while mounted on a scaled beast. The sensation of flying was always so exhilarating; the wind pushing past your face as the temperature dropped from increasing the elevation.

He flapped his giant wings, each propelling us higher as his strong tail swished behind us, steering us in the direction of the Land of Wind. I watched the tall treetops of the forests surrounding the Leaf disappeared under us, gaining me a bird's eye view. I looked behind us at the shrinking mass of houses that made up my village, making me appreciate my unique flying friends.

I rubbed my hands into the sides of Kazekaiju and he wriggled under me in delight, both of us equally happy to be spending time with the other after the time apart. We used to fly together all of the time over that mountain, him practicing his aerial combat moves with the extra weight of a human and me practicing my long distance combat moves from the back of a mount. We would spend entire days in the air, drifting along air currents and diving down from tall heights for an adrenaline rush. We would return home to our cave after those days with his wings sore and my body covered in sunburn, both of us laughing and smiling from the day in the air, away and above from the rest of the world.

Flying gave you a unique sense of the world. I could look down and observe everything from an outside perspective, taking things in with new eyes that saw things in a new light. It made me appreciate my life and the world I was living in.

Kazekaiju and I leveled off in the air, reaching a good elevation that would be good for our long distance traveling but was low enough so I could breathe enough oxygen.

"How are you, Kazekaiju?" I asked him, closing my eyes and enjoying the cool breeze. We would reach our destination in a couple hours at the most at this rate. I noticed he was a little more sober than his usual self, and I remembered what happened yesterday.

"I'm alright, Lyra. Better now that you summoned me!" He flapped and I smiled, massaging the scales at the base of the spike I was holding.

"Mizuryuu told me you and the others were alright after what happened yesterday." I thought for a moment. "But that must have been about a week ago to you."

I watched his big head nod in the air, and I felt a bit of sadness emit from my friend underneath me.

"Yeah, we are still rebuilding and recovering from the attack." I felt the beast sigh from under me. "Our cave, Lyra…" I nodded when he couldn't continue.

"I know. That cave was our home." I looked down, sadness clouding my vision. "I want to visit and help rebuild, but I was just given a mission today. Mizuryuu said my help hasn't been asked for yet."

The dragon nodded and replied,

"We all would love for you to return, but we understand your life with your kind must come first. And the rebuilding is coming along smoothly; you know how cooperative my race usually is."

Kazekaiju was right. The dragons were a rowdy race with many differing opinions and lots of alcohol. The beasts loved to fight and they loved to drink, but when it came to peace they somehow had always achieved it through patience and maturity. _Well, except for recently. But no one understands that extremist group._

I sighed, missing the lifestyle there. I leaned on my friend's neck, feeling his steady breath and the slight jerk of each flap as he maintained our altitude. I felt his muscles relax under my cheek and I smiled, thoroughly enjoying the freeing sensation.

_Kakashi would like this, too. Being hundreds of feet in the air, away from everything in the world and in the peaceful silence of the clouds._

I chuckled slightly as I imagined his widened eyes as he meets another of my dragon friends, his dependable calm composure slightly off balance as he takes in another terrific sight of a winged beast.

_I'm lucky my roommate puts up with my strange past._

I wondered about my friendship with him, how it was different from my friendship with the dragons.

_I rubbed my fingers through his soft, messy hair, massaging his scalp and enjoying the relaxed expression I was causing him to make. He sighed when my finger brushed his ear, and I felt a slight shiver coming from both of us at my accidental skin contact. I felt a spark light in my stomach as his soft eye opened and met mine, the simple movement somehow causing me to feel alive._

Touching him was different than touching anyone else. It was different than rubbing Kazekaiju and it was different than the contact I made with Neji when we fought together time to time.

_Could it be those two times we were intimate that makes his touch different?_

I shook my head, remembering my other times with the random men I found in bars across the different lands in my travels. I have been touched and handled by other men, attractive young men who pleasured my drunken self as I indulged myself in the pleasures of the body.

I grimaced at my irresponsible behavior caused by my weakness for alcohol.

I felt nothing for those men. I felt the thrill and the satisfaction from the sex, but nothing more. And they probably felt the same towards me.

_What is it about Kakashi?_

I decided to ask Kazekaiju. We had another couple of hours to kill, anyways.

"Kazekaiju. So, I live with my training partner, Kakashi. We are good friends, but I kind of feel-" I was stopped abruptly when I felt him chuckle deeply from underneath me, bouncing me up and down on his back as I grabbed his spike to try to not fall off.

"I know of your cavemate, Lyra! Mizuryuu and Fireball told us all of the _juicy_ details." He finally stopped shaking me and I took in a steadying breath, my brow furrowed in confusion. _Juicy details?_

"Huh?" I felt him chuckle again, and I held on for dear life, feeling the hundreds of feet of air between me and the laughing dragon and the ground.

"We can _smell_ feelings, remember? Fireball and Mizuryuu smelled more emotions than just _cavemates_." Kazekaiju practically cackled from under me, and I glared at him.

"What do you mean? We _are_ roommates." Then my stomach dropped. _Could they smell evidence from our…nights?_ My suspicion became certain when his head swung around to look at me, a knowing smile coming from his snout. I felt my cheeks heat up.

"I'm disappointed that I had to hear the news of your new _mate_ through _gossip_, Lyra. You couldn't tell me yourself?!" He was shuddering under me from laughter and excitement and I was shuddering from embarrassment.

"Kazekaiju we didn't _mate_! That was just an accident… you know about my drinking problem…" I looked down and the dragon chuckled.

"I keep forgetting you humans are a promiscuous race, with your mating with more than one other." He shook his head. I brought a hand up and rubbed my face with a hand, embarrassed that a beast was chastising me for my irresponsible sexual behavior.

"I really didn't mean to, we are still great friends and he is a perfect training partner for me, Kazekaiju!" I saw a glint in his eye as he snorted in laughter, a swirl of wind comically coming from his snout.

"But you feel something different for him, different than your other previous mates, hm Lyra?" My eyes widened and he continued,

"Dragons can smell love too, you dummy."

I recoiled, my eyes wide in disbelief and denial.

_There's no way I can _love _someone. Shinobi don't have time for that. _

Memories from when I was a child in the Anbu came flooding into me, bringing their life lessons that were drilled into me by my Lord Danzo.

_I was eight. I felt Lord Danzo enter the training field I was training in, making him the one other person in the area, meaning we were alone. _

_I continued to practice my swordsmanship with my dagger on the hay stuffed dummy as he approached me, bringing tension into the room. I stopped slicing when he stopped a few feet from me._

_Turning to him, eyes downcast, I bowed to him and waited for my instruction._

_He stood silent, looking at me thoughtfully, a slight frown on his face. His demeanor was always calm, but his frown sent a chill down my spine as I reviewed my past missions to the closest detail to see where I had possibly made a mistake to warrant his disapproval._

_He addressed me in a low voice,_

"_You have been meeting with Kinoe in your off hours."_

_His calm statement almost made me flinch, half from confusion and half from relief. _I haven't messed up on any of my missions._ But it was true; I had made a friend in the Anbu, an older ninja named Kinoe with the curious skills of the Wood Style._

_We had met on a night when I was training alone. He had returned to the training field to grab a scroll he had forgotten, and we had hit up conversion with both of our passions in elemental Ninjutsu, my eight year old self very interested in his special element style._

_This older boy had become my friend and we had trained and played together whenever we both had free time, and I used the name his friends used for him, Tenzo._

_But why was Lord Danzo asking me about it?_

_He sighed and explained,_

"_Kinoe is your senior, and a powerful asset to the Anbu, just as you are. However, I feel he is susceptible to giving in to his emotions." He looked down at me, his single eye boring into my eyes. "Shinobi do not need to be attached to others. Shinobi must only live to serve in missions."_

_I swallowed, trying to understand why spending time and getting to know another ninja was so bad. I bowed._

"_I understand, Lord Danzo. What would you have me do?" I watched his face slightly relax in his own way of showing patience._

"_You may continue to train with him. However, shinobi can not have the emotions you feel when you are with a friend." He looked at me with a kinder expression. I had never failed him before this; I had always fulfilled my missions successfully and on time, making me reliable and strong. He seemed to trust me, and my eight year old self trusted him as my mentor, my sensei, my master. He continued, his tone softer, but just as demanding._

"_Shinobi must not love others, Lyra. But I believe you are responsible enough to not fall prey to this weakness."_

_I blinked, trying to understand. He continued,_

"_You may care about him but only to the extent of trusting him as your comrade. Shinobi do not have the luxury of loving others more than that."_

_His words sinking in, I nodded._

_Love is irresponsible._

_Love is a weakness._

I recovered quickly and glared at the grinning dragon.

"Don't be silly, Kazekaiju." I struggled for words, trying to describe my feeling that even I didn't understand. "I… love him as a friend." I thought of my guarded roommate, with his lazy expression and his usually serious and realistic attitude, much like my own. _He would think love is irresponsible too._ "He regards me as a friend as well. But nothing more."

I watched his bony brows rise in disagreement, and I frowned at him, making him chuckle again.

"Whatever you say, Lyra. You are one powerful ninja, that's for sure. Unbeaten." His grin turned mischievous. "It would be amusing if you are finally brought down by _love_!"

I smacked his back as he cackled at me, and I couldn't resist a smile from his joyful nature. We continued to bicker at one another for a while, both of us enjoying spending time with one another after so long of not flying together. Before we knew it, we were approaching the meeting spot and I still had an hour or so before sunset.

The meeting point was next to a giant mountain covered in trees, a beautiful waterfall falling into a large river that was crystal clear, showing the bottom of the river to be about twenty feet down. The air was humid, as I expected from being between the Land of Rain and the Land of Rivers, and the lush forests under us reminded me of the island from which Kazekaiju had just come from.

He landed next to the river, the crashing of the waterfall a constant roar in the background. I slid off of Kazekaiju and shook out my legs to keep them from cramping. The dragon lowered his head to take a drink from the clear water, and I joined him, enjoying the crisp coldness and purity of the river water.

He settled down and rested for a while, and I sat next to him and leaned against his hard scales, watching the fish swim under the crystal water and the birds fly up the mountain as the sun descended to the earth, taking its light with it. I knew the summoning time was coming to an end, and I felt the little drain of chakra from keeping him here with me for so long. I looked up at the white scaly face of my friend, his hard scales soft in his peaceful expression.

"Thanks for this, Kazekaiju. My Hokage will be happy I was able to deliver these on time." The dragon looked down at me, his expression content.

"It is no problem, Lyra. I am glad I got to see you again after so long." I nodded, knowing my month and a half here was really more than a couple months to him.

"Tell everyone I said hi and that I miss them," I said, and he nodded, his ebony eyes closed. He opened them to peer down at me.

"You can make it back on your own?"

"Of course, I just needed to get here fast. I can take my time going home." The white dragon blinked and blew a whirl of wind towards me, making my hair fly back.

"I will see you later, then. Take care, Lyra." The dragon stretched his wings and shuffled his claws.

"You too, Kazekaiju." I said with a smile as he disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving me in the dying light to wait for the Sand ninja.

I stood up when I felt a few chakra signatures enter my sensory field of vision. I walked towards them, eager to complete my mission and head home.

I stopped as I watched two ninja enter the clearing I was in by the side of the river, their clothes ruffled and their breaths uneven from the travel. The woman in lead spoke when they noticed me.

"Good, we made it here on time." I watched the two bend over on their knees as they caught their breath. The woman continued,

"Our idiot brother thought we could make it here in leisure…" The man stooping next to her with purple painted lines on his face replied to her,

"Gaara is just eager to get this treaty signed and finalized." He looked over at me and I met the eyes of the two of them with my smile.

"Well it looks like we all found a way to make it here on time," I said with a chuckle at our similar situations.

The blonde woman smiled at me with her hard eyes, amusement showing on her face.

"Did your Hokage send you with little time to get here as well?" She asked and I nodded, half-smiling at the two of them as I took the leather cylinder off of my back.

I walked over to them as I took the documents out carefully and showed the contents to the two messengers as they did the same to confirm our meeting. The man spoke,

"Gaara only gave us a day and a half to get here. We'll probably take three to return in comfort." I smiled and replied,

"My Hokage gave me this mission this morning; I know the pain." I watched both of their eyebrows rise and I carefully secured the documents in my leather carrier, strapping it back onto my back.

"Did you travel here alone?" The woman asked, and I nodded, looking over at the sinking sun.

"It worked out better that way." I replied as they too secured their documents. We all looked at the beautiful sunset across the mountain, the rays shining through the trees and illuminating single branches, making me wish Kakashi was here to see it. _He would appreciate this view._

I shrugged me shoulders, making the documents lie more comfortably on my back. _I will be sleeping alone tonight._

The thought didn't scare me as much as it would have two months ago, which was good. But it did scare me a little.

_I have been able to sleep soundly for so many weeks now I almost forgot about the hell my mind enters when I fall asleep alone. _

I shook my head, forcing my fears back as I looked at the two Sand Ninja preparing to leave.

"I'm Lyra by the way. It's cool being able to transfer peace treaties with another village," I said and they both smiled. The blonde replied,

"I'm Temari, and this is Kankuro. Gaara, the Kazekage, is our brother. And I agree; this peace with the Leaf is much better than war." I nodded and bent down by the river to fill my water bottle for the trip home. I looked up at them as I was still crouched by the water and asked,

"Are you the Temari that could almost beat Shikamaru Nara in shogi?" I watched her eyes widen and she nodded, her previously hard and impenetrable expression showing a slight vulnerability at the mention of the black haired strategist back home. I smiled.

"Should I tell him you said hi?" I asked, and she nodded mutely after recovering and returning to her hard expression. Kankuro snickered next to her and I smiled wider as Temari glared at the both of us.

"Tell that baka that I'll beat his ass next time." She turned abruptly and walked in the direction the two had come from, towards the Sand Village. Kankuro smiled over at me and waved as he followed his sister, our short meeting over and both parties eager to return home. I stood and turned towards my own village, calculating the time it would take to get there. I set off at a fast sprint, flying among the tree branches with a speed I could keep up with for a few hours. I turned my mind off and relaxed, enjoying the mindless exercise of traveling as I nimbly leaped along the branches in the darkening light.

* * *

_Damn it, I'm alone._

I glared into the night, the stars looking down on me as I lie in my bedroll on the soft dirt next to a giant oak tree. The fire I had next to me was dying out, its warmth seeping into the ground and the air around it as the dark red coals sputtered little sparks, the familiar snapping sound trying to relax my tense body.

_I'm alone._

I sat up and punched my pillow, angry once again as I was reminded of my weakness. My annoying, irrational, lingering weakness.

I could feel my memories threatening to peek up from where I had buried them and torture me as soon as I let my guard down. My hands began to shake; my dependable, strong and trained body betraying me and giving in to my fears.

I was conscious of where the crescent moon scars were on my hips. I could feel their exact location burning from under my shorts, the constant reminder of those horrible nights. My fingers reached down to scratch at them, unconsciously trying to pry away the layer of fear I was emitting as I felt the darkness around me begin to consume me.

I didn't feel this way in the daylight. I could be alone for hours and watch the clouds, read a book or practice my skills. _It's because they didn't touch me during the day._

_They only tortured me at night._

I clenched my hands, trying once again to reason my way through my irrational fears.

_I am strong. I have trained hard in the last half of my life._

_I can fight. I have beaten all who have stood in my way._

_I can defend myself. I am fast, I can dodge attacks and now I can block most._

_I can survive. I have travelled on my own for years, honing my skills._

_I am strong, and I am not alone. I have friends._

Kakashi trusts me. My roommate, my closest friend and comrade, trusts me with his life when we do our dangerous training. Either of us could die at any moment should one of us fall short, but we both put our lives into each others' hands every day. Kakashi trusts me, and he thinks I am strong.

_Kakashi trusts me._

_He thinks I'm strong._

_I can deal with these fears._

I tried to convince myself, desperate to be released from the chains of my fears. But it wasn't working. I felt fear's fingers slowly creep out of my beating heart and spread their chilling nails across my arms and back, making me feel violated and cold.

_Fuck._

I felt the silence envelope me, absent of my roommate's steady breathing. Absent of his content sighs as he settled into sleep. Absent of the slight ruffles he made when he got comfortable.

_I am alone._

I grabbed the pillow I punched and brought it close to my chest, hugging it fiercely.

_I need to get over myself. I have been alone my entire life. A shinobi doesn't have time to deal with past problems._

This problem wasn't going away, and I haven't figured out why. I looked up to see how far the moon had already moved tonight, and I frowned at the time I have wasted that I could have either spent traveling or sleeping.

_Damn it!_

_Fuck this, I need someone right now. A friend._

I built up a little bit of chakra and performed a summoning jutsu, right there beside my bedroll and beside the dying fire.

I watched the tiny red dragon emerge from the smoke, his bleary eyes blinking at me as I unconsciously smiled at my old friend.

"Hey, Fireball," I whispered into the quiet night. The red lizard blinked up at me, his usual loudness suspended as he looked to be about to fall asleep.

"Hey… Lyra," he replied, equally as quiet, as he looked me over. He probably saw the bedroll I was sitting in and the lateness of the night, coupled with my anxious expression and my hands wringing the corner of my pillow. He met my eyes; understanding flooding through as he slowly crawled towards me and settled next to my side.

"Say no more. You just owe me some booze next time…" he murmured as he drifted back to sleep, his warm, small side rubbing into me as he made himself comfortable. I smiled and lightly rubbed the spot above his shoulders by his neck that all dragons loved to be rubbed, making him relax even more into me as I closed my eyes, so completely thankful.

"I'll slip you some sake next time I go out. Thank you, Fireball…" I settled into the bedroll, almost all of my anxiety and stress gone as I felt another being close to me.

I relaxed, the scaly body next to my side beginning to softly snore as I felt my consciousness be overtaken by my sleepiness. I smiled, content but realizing Fireball was only temporarily filling a hole inside of me that still felt some pain. I can sleep now, but I won't be able to sleep comfortably.

This hole has only been completely filled by Kakashi; my roommate could somehow make me believe the hole never existed. When he lent me a side of his bed, he not only showed me kindness by giving me half of his space but he also ensured me peace in the dark hours of the night. It takes trust to sleep next to someone, and his trust and his friendship have soothed my fears and allowed me to sleep soundly for the first time in years.

_Maybe that is why he feels different than other friends. Maybe that is why I feel a spark when we touch, why a little hidden smile of his can relax my nerves and make me smile back. _

I began to lose my thoughts as a dream overcame me, snatching away my consciousness and plunging me into a heated battle with my roommate, both of us sweating and panting as we danced our dance under the speckled sun shining through the leaves from the trees above us.

_I'll be home soon._

* * *

**I would love it if you let me know what you think. :)**


	6. Feelings

**Kakashi**

Kakashi blinked his eye, staring at his bedroom ceiling. It was probably two or so in the morning; the moon was peeking through his open window, signaling how late it was.

He should be sleeping. He knew he should be, but thoughts kept swirling through his mind.

He turned on his side, trying to get comfortable. He only succeeded in turning to his roommate's side of the bed and seeing it empty, reminding him again that she wasn't here.

Kakashi knew she had a mission and that she would be back tomorrow. She would complete her mission quickly and efficiently with her reliable skills, and she wouldn't let anyone stop her. Kakashi knew first hand of her powers, her strength, and he knew deep down she would be fine.

But that didn't help how empty his bed felt.

Kakashi sighed, trying to understand why his empty bed felt so much emptier now than how it was almost every night before he met Lyra.

_I have slept alone in my own empty apartment, by myself for a vast majority of my life. Lyra's absence for just one night is not a big deal._

Determined, he turned to the other side and tried once again to fall asleep. He forced his consciousness to become devoid of all thoughts, relaxing his mind with the skill of a ninja. He refused to think about his roommate, of her soft, almost inaudible steady breathing as she relaxed to sleep next to him, of her quiet gasps when she reached an intense part in her book, of her sweet gestures like leaving towels out for him when he showered and turning off the lights and shifting him to a comfortable position when he fell asleep…

_Damn it._

Kakashi frowned with his eyes closed, absently scratching his head when he realized he was failing at emptying his mind. He sighed deeply, wondering where his roommate was and if she was having any better luck at falling asleep than him.

Kakashi's eyes shot open when he remembered her post traumatic stress. Memories of the night he had found her curled on his couch shaking came flooding into his mind, waking him up. Memories of her tear filled eyes that shone her fear and pain, so genuine that Kakashi himself felt shaken up at her unusual display of weakness. Her sweet eyes that had beheld such horror and had held such agony, so completely opposite to her strength and stability she held when conscious.

_She has been sleeping fine for the last two months,_ he reasoned. Not once had she hinted at reliving her horror, and she had slept soundly next to Kakashi for many nights.

_Perhaps she has recovered._ His mind partially denied the thought, however, when he remembered a couple mornings ago after their night together. Well, _together_ together.

_I didn't exactly mistreat her that night. But I was a bit rough with her… _Kakashi closed his eyes, wondering at his own drunken self and how he acts when under the influence.

_I don't lose myself as much as Lyra loses herself, but I definitely change._ Kakashi sighed.

_I'm not gentle when I'm drunk._

He remembered the bruises he had given her. He had gripped her so hard when he took her in that unconventional position, he had left marks.

_Just like her rapist._

Kakashi shook his head, refusing to let his guilt consume him again. Nothing could bring him back from his shame except Lyra's comfort and reassurance. He imagined her steadfast expression, displaying her realism and logic.

"_It's alright, Kakashi. I can heal these in a few seconds, no big deal."_

"_You can't blame yourself, Kakashi. Alcohol is a wicked thing. And knowing me, I probably wanted it and asked for it…"_

Kakashi felt himself smile slightly at a memory from that night, the details making him blush. _She _had_ asked for it…_

And then a thought hit Kakashi like a hard kick to his stomach, completely switching his mood to shock. He could have sworn someone just sent a Rasengan right into his abdomen, twisting his organs and squeezing his heart with a revelation.

A revelation he was ashamed to have just now thought about since it concerned his close friend.

_Lyra couldn't be… _

_Pregnant…_

_Could she?_

Kakashi tried to breathe, but found his lungs constricted.

_Well, she could be, you idiot._

_And you are only just now thinking about it._

He forced himself to think logically, reviewing the finer details of their night that caused his blush to grow as he dug through his memories to see if his drunken self had thought of at least any precaution at all.

He found none.

He closed his eyes, and continued to calmly think reasonably.

_Lyra is an intelligent woman. She could have taken precautions. _

_Not that I should be relying on her in this matter. _

Kakashi felt his hands clench into fists.

_I acted extremely irresponsible that night._

Kakashi attempted to stop his train of thought, knowing the countless 'what if' questions he could torture himself with would only make the situation worse.

He looked out the window again, realizing he only had a couple hours left before sunrise. His shinobi mind took over, forcing him to relax and abandon all thoughts in an attempt to meditate. It was only through this method that he was able to slip into a restless sleep, his mind waiting for tomorrow to come.

* * *

Kakashi set his bags down by his and Lyra's lunch tree, shaking his legs out and breathing in deeply to get his blood flowing for his morning training. With his roommate absent, he was left with no choice but to train with his Mangekyo. He slipped his headband up and activated his old friend's Sharingan, feeling the familiar pressure enter his mind as his eye took in thousands of little details in his surroundings.

Using this eye made the world look more colorful, sharper, with the tiniest little things coming into focus. It was perfect for combat.

He rolled his shirt off of him, with no real reason to undress since he wasn't training with Lyra but the cool feeling of the air on his back was familiar and comfortable under the morning sun.

He spotted a tree lizard on a branch to his right and he quickly caught it, carefully carrying it to the middle of the field he and Lyra trained in. He gently set the lizard down and released a bit of chakra into the small body, stunning the poor creature to stay still. Kakashi sighed, wishing he didn't have to experiment with the Sharingan but he knew it was better to know more about the strange power for safety.

He backed up about ten meters away, the lizard a tiny speck in the distance on the ground. He concentrated his chakra into the alien eye that had replaced his left eye and activated his Mangekyo, the chakra toll on him instantly tripling. He concentrated with all of his might on the small lizard, trying to focus the eye's gaze on a specific point away from him. The act required immense concentration, so much that it almost drained him more mentally than the Mangekyo's drain on him. When he felt he had the lizard's position memorized, he released his pent up power into the Sharingan, causing a dimensional swirl to consume the lizard and leave the ground spotless.

He bent over immediately after sending it, the chakra toll heavy. His hand came up to rub his eye, trying to soothe the strain that was caused from using the hidden power.

He slowly walked over to the spot where he had just probably ended the reptile's life, proving the powers of Obito's Sharingan could work on a living being. This made Kakashi even more wary of the Mangekyo's powers.

Suddenly, he smelled a familiar scent, a familiar exotic scent that awoke his senses and caused him to inhale deeply. He couldn't stop the smile his face formed.

_Lyra._

He turned to the west, to the direction she was coming from, and wondered at her early return. Judging from his nose, she was about a minute away from her speed. He walked over to their tree and took out a water bottle from his bag, drinking it quickly as he waited for his roommate's return.

He looked over just in time to see her whirling mess of orange and red hair surround her exotically fair face, those grey eyes shining silver in the light of the sun. Her eyes met his, and her wide smile was identical to the one on his own hidden face. She sprinted towards him, making his eyebrows rise, and surprised him by hurling herself into his arms, her own arms wrapping around his neck and the side of her face pressing against his ear, causing his nose to be pleasantly overwhelmed with her scent.

He unconsciously breathed in deeply, returning her embrace and feeling her lean body settle between his arms and chest.

"Hey," she said softly into his ear, making him smile.

Kakashi chuckled in response, concentrating on not letting his hands roam a little lower from her lower back.

She unwound her arms from his neck, the contact of her skin leaving a tingling sensation. He smiled down at her, looking her over to ensure she came back without any wounds and finding none, making him relax.

"Mission complete?" He asked her and she nodded.

"Went off without a hitch. I have to give these documents to Lady Tsunade, and then I need to find a cow and eat it whole," she said seriously, making Kakashi chuckle at her insatiable hunger. He knew how much she could eat on a normal day, but after a day of travelling and food pills?

She sighed with her eyes closed, seeming as content with being back in the Leaf as he did. Kakashi watched her, reading her face and body and seeing her lack of sleep come through the slight slowness in her movements and the sleepiness in her eyes when they opened to meet his. He knew she saw his lack of sleep as well.

Kakashi looked to the midday sun above them both and looked back at his roommate.

"I don't know about a cow, but we have some leftover rice in the fridge," Kakashi replied, watching her features perk up from the mention of food.

"That'll be a great appetizer." She half-smiled towards him. "How about I make a stew? We could have Gai over again, for old time's sake." She fished her hand deep into one of her pockets and pulled out a red bottle that was half full of a red powder. She continued,

"I can spice it up with this spice I've been saving. It has a kick," she said with a mischievous smile. Kakashi's brow rose and he nodded, thinking a big stew would be nice too.

"I can find Gai while you return your documents, and we'll grab some meat and vegetables on the way home," he suggested, and Lyra nodded back with a smile. He watched her look around their field.

"How was training?" She asked him, and Kakashi took on a more serious tone.

"I decided to try using the Mangekyo on something living, and I sent a live lizard away." He watched her eyebrows rise and he looked away.

"Well, at least you know you can use it in real battle now," Lyra said in her optimistic tone, making Kakashi smile slightly.

"I also know I can hurt my friends and comrades with it." He looked down, feeling unstable with the awesome power of the sharingan just under his eyelid, throbbing with its brimming power. He felt his roommate close the small space they had between them and he felt her small hand lightly touch his arm.

"All weapons can hurt your friends and comrades. That's why we train with them; not only to be more deadly against our foes but to have better control with them so we can protect the ones we love." Kakashi looked up at his friend's face, seeing her own surprise at her direct answer. She wouldn't meet his eyes, and he watched an internal battle struggle within hers, but she quickly recovered and met his with her reliable strength.

"You are right." He replied, unconsciously reaching a hand up and gently brushing a stray orange strand falling into her face. Her brows slightly rose, but her lips formed a smile. She looked back at him for a moment, both of them just reading the other's eyes and thinking, each just enjoying the other's company.

Lyra eventually looked away, her soft hand falling from his arm to her side as she looked to the direction of the village. She shifted to the side and placed a hand on her slim stomach, the slight movement sending Kakashi's mind back to last night with his thoughts concerning them and their time a few nights ago. He took in a breath involuntarily as he watched the woman in front of him hold her stomach, causing his mind to think of the possibilities.

She looked at him with an eyebrow raised, her mouth slightly open as she was about to say something. Kakashi held his tongue, not knowing what to do or say. Lyra blinked and continued,

"I'm starving, Kakashi. Let's go get some food," she said, making Kakashi let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

_Pull yourself together._

He nodded and walked over to their tree to get his bags.

_I'll ask her about it later._

They returned to the village, Kakashi listening to Lyra describe how many cows she could eat right now and how she could even eat them live. He chuckled slightly at her good mood as they headed for the village gates, the sun shining through the leaves and highlighting just spots of her bright hair. He waved to her as they split up, Lyra heading to report from her mission and Kakashi heading to buy food and find Gai. He watched her graceful body walk off, her long legs striding with purpose and her long mane swaying back and forth, the bright colors attracting men like flies. Kakashi shook his head at his unique roommate, and he turned to head to Gai's house.

* * *

**Lyra**

I wrangled with my keys, trying to get the old lock to the apartment to work. _We need to get these replaced._ I tried to jiggle to metal key a bit, trying hard not to let all my power into forcing the key, knowing I would break the door.

I frowned, about to give up and climb in through the window when the door was opened from the inside. The light from the kitchen and living room shone from the open door, illuminating my roommate standing there with his hand still on the knob and his other hand holding an edition of Icha Icha.

I looked up and met my roommate's eye, smiling as I smelled the beginnings of a stew being brewed from within the warm apartment. His eye crinkled back at me, his hidden face returning my smile but with the slight variation it had this morning as well. I quickly searched his face, trying to see what had my roommate distracted.

"Our locks are shit, Kakashi." My roommate tilted his head and gave me a look as I saw Gai peer over at me with a raised eyebrow from the kitchen. "Sorry, our locks are _crap_." I corrected. Kakashi nodded and replied,

"They are getting rusty." I rolled my eyes at him, trying desperately to play along with his and Gai's plan to fix my language.

A week or so ago, the two had visited me in the hospital while I was treating a young boy for his cold. Kakashi was teasing me about something menial, looking so aloof and being an ass, and out came a colorful series of curse words from my mouth automatically; startling the poor boy and making me blush. I really don't mean to have a crass mouth; it's just habit. But ever since then the two have ganged up on me and my language and I knew ultimately that they were right.

I was just lucky Kakashi didn't make me put any money in the swear jar we had on the counter this time. That damned, _sorry, dang_ jar was already half full of my yen.

"Hey, Gai," I waved over to the tall man with a pink apron over his green jumpsuit, the unusual sight no longer unusual to me.

"Lyra! It is time for your spices!" He replied, holding a wooden spoon into the air and pointing at me with his other hand. I smiled and slipped past Kakashi to bounce over to the stove, my hand reaching into my bag to retrieve the spices. As soon as I opened the lid to my favorite spice, the fresh, peppery smell wafted through the house and made the two men peer at the tiny red bottle I was holding.

I looked sideways at them, smiling mischievously, and poured a generous amount into the stew, coloring the beef with a slight reddish tint from the spice. Gai came up from behind me and peered over my shoulder, sniffing a bit before swallowing.

I chuckled, missing the spicy delicacies I lived on for years with my old cavemates. This stuff wasn't the spiciest, but it sure as hell was _hot_.

"Will we still have working stomachs after this, Lyra?" Kakashi asked me, and I looked over at him with a smile.

"Of course, this stuff is considered mild to some." I stirred the stew, breathing in deeply the meaty smell with the vegetables lightly coloring it.

I looked over my shoulder to see Gai take something out of his bag. It was a clear bottle with clear liquid in it, and the label on it said-

_Fuck._

"I brought some sake for us! This stuff is from a good year; let's drink the bottle tonight in the name of our youth!" I swallowed the knot in my throat as Gai opened the bottle and reached for some cups.

I thought fast, thinking of all the different excuses I could give to not drink. I glanced over at my roommate, a blush already forming on my face as I connected that blasted drink to my last two mess up encounters with him. Kakashi was also looking at me, his eyebrows raised and a smile slowly forming as I imagined all of the teases he would have for me later. He saw my blush and my surprised expression, and as one, we both burst into laughter.

I covered my face with my hands as I tried to contain my amusement, and I heard Kakashi chuckle from where he sat. I looked up and beamed at a confused Gai and said,

"Thank you Gai, that is so nice of you. I will have to decline, however." I watched the confusion take over my enthusiastic friend's face. At the bar with them that other night, I had enough drinks for two people. Me declining a casual drink with a few friends would be considered strange. Both Gai and I looked up, startled as Kakashi spoke.

"I'll be staying sober tonight, too, Gai. Thanks, though." I raised my eyebrows at Kakashi, surprised he wouldn't have a drink too. He met my eyes, but I found a guarded wall covering his emotions and his intentions. Confused, I tried to tell him with my eyes, '_We both know why _I_ shouldn't drink, but don't let me stop you from enjoying some._'

He understood me, but he looked away, not responding to my silent apology.

Gai was even more confused now, and I tried to recover his feelings.

"Please still enjoy your good sake tonight, Gai. You might need it to finally beat me at an eating contest," I smiled over at him as he quickly recovered, accepting our excuses easily and turning his attention to the cooking stew. He pointed into the air and proclaimed with his energy,

"I will eat more of this spicy stew than you, Lyra!" I laughed and grabbed some bowls, preparing us for our competition.

The food was good, as was the company. Gai and I shoveled more stew than we should have into our stomachs, both of us arriving at a tie in the end as we both slopped forward onto the table, our stomachs way too full. I heard Kakashi chuckle at us as we both attempted to raise our heads, Gai downing some sake in an attempt to fit in one more bite. We both collapsed again, and Kakashi called our competition to a draw, allowing me to let my shoulders sag as I relaxed onto the wooden table. Gai and I both laughed and eventually recovered from our comas, and we shook hands as we acknowledged the others' prowess in food eating.

We all relaxed at the table together, Kakashi with his book and Gai with his sake, all of us talking about anything and everything as we relaxed from the day and let the good food settle in our stomachs. Gai was getting increasingly more emotional from the alcohol, and we only cut him off when we realized he almost finished the entire bottle by himself. He talked to me about his late father, how he could only use taijutsu too. I learned much about the enthusiastic man from the emotional Gai, learning how he had protected him from anyone who doubted him and how he had eventually given his life to save Gai, using the hidden techniques of the Eight Inner Gates. I eventually had to get up from my seat and hush the drunken man, comforting him and helping him over to the couch. Gai fell asleep almost instantly, his soft snores filling the room as his sad face relaxed into a relaxed smile as he slept off his sake.

I looked over at my roommate still sitting at the table, his sober face revealing he had also known Gai's father. I walked over to him and stood behind him, resting my hands on his shoulders and relaying him my comfort. Loss of loved ones was never easy to deal with, and never should be.

Kakashi turned his head to the side and rested his forehead on my arm, the cold metal of his headband sending a shiver through my body. Glancing over to ensure myself that Gai was asleep, I spoke softly.

"What's wrong?" I felt Kakashi stiffen under my hands, and I was unable to see his face from my angle.

"Something has been bothering you, Kakashi." I watched my roommate sigh, his head slightly sagging down my arm. He stood up abruptly, surprising me as he turned around to face me, the chair in between us. I looked up at his guarded eye, so unusually distant as he looked back at me. I tried smiling a reassuring smile at him, but I think I only succeeded in smiling a sad smile.

I watched his eye soften a bit as I waited patiently for him to say something, and he looked down and closed his eye, sighing again.

"I just feel bad about that night." He replied softly in his low, mellow voice, so softly I had barely heard it. My eyebrows rose when I realized what he was talking about and I told him gently.

"_You_ feel bad? Kakashi, I started the whole damn thing." I watched his eye meet mine and slowly open up, revealing his emotions. "Sorry, _dang_ thing." I half-smiled at him, trying to see what he was really upset about. Kakashi smiled slightly, and his face flashed confusion, regret, sadness, and- _embarrassment_?

He turned and calmly walked to the bedroom, his hands nonchalantly in his pockets and his shoulders slightly slouched. He left the door open, a clear sign he wanted me to follow him. My confusion and interest high, I approached the bedroom, glancing behind me at the snoring Gai still sleeping on the couch.

I took a step in the bedroom and found Kakashi sitting on the side of the bed with his elbows resting on his knees, his hands clasped and his face looking down at them. The sight made me instantly want to comfort him, bake muffins for him, joke with him, fight with him, whatever my roommate needed me to do to make him feel better. _What is wrong?_

I slowly approached him, and when I got no reaction from him I sat right in front of him on the ground, in his direct line of sight, forcing him to look at me. I looked up at him from my position on the ground, my eyes searching his and giving off an endless amount of patience and care, showing him I was here for him and I wanted to fix whatever was wrong. He looked down at me and met my eyes with his vulnerable one, displaying such unusual emotion from him that it was almost startling.

We sat like that for a while, him gathering his thoughts and me waiting for him. The moon was shining through the window, illuminating us and casting our room into a cool blue atmosphere. The silence between us wasn't awkward or forced like I expected, just our normal quiet and peace. He finally spoke.

"I am sorry for my actions that night, Lyra." He looked away from my eyes and I frowned.

"I am too, Kakashi. We both fucked up, but it was from the alcohol." _Where is this coming from? Has he not forgiven me?_

I couldn't take it any longer, was it something I did that was causing my friend to feel this uncertain and sad?

I placed a hand on his leg, making him look back at me, his eye still full of emotions. I asked him in a gentle but almost pleading tone.

"What? What is it, Kakashi?" I watched him sigh and close his eye as he responded in his own quiet, gentle tone.

"I… I was not smart that night, Lyra. I was irresponsible. You could be…" He stopped, his shoulders sagging even more as a blush peeked out from under his mask.

_I could be…?_ I frowned as I thought and tried to connect the dots. _Not smart, irresponsible…_ And then everything seemed to click. I searched his face and realized it was a good explanation for his embarrassment; I hadn't seen anything that could embarrass this smooth man. But I guess a life changing event like the one he's probably thinking could.

I raised my eyebrows and tried to hold in a half-smile as I told him frankly, my own blush appearing on my cheeks.

"I'm not pregnant, if that's what you were thinking." I watched this calm and composed man flinch at my words, his widened eye coming to meet mine to see my honesty. He didn't speak.

"I'm a medical ninja, Kakashi. No need to worry about those things," I said with a chuckle, honestly relieved that this was what had my roommate distraught. I watched him blink as he slid off of the bed and engulfed me in his arms, squeezing me and making me smile.

"I am so sorry, Lyra," he said as he hugged me, and I chuckled as I hugged him back, replying,

"I am too, Kakashi. It is all alright." I pat his back and smiled into his shirt, glad I was being hugged by my roommate again.

It's funny how I had just learned how to receive and reciprocate regular human affections within the last few weeks, and how of all people it was Hatake Kakashi who had helped me realize how great it could be. My lessons from when I was a child came flaring back at me from within the depths of my mind, reminding me of the Anbu's shinobi way of life and causing me to question everything I felt once again.

I saw Lord Danzo's face in my mind, his penetrating eye drilling in his teachings and warnings deep.

I felt Kakashi's strong fingers hold my back, keeping me close to his chest and warming me with his kindness, his broad arms encompassing me and keeping me in a comfortable close space. _This shouldn't make me feel so safe._

I felt his messy hair tickle my ear, causing me to shiver and involuntarily tighten my own hold on him. _His touch shouldn't make me feel so alive._

I felt him sigh, his entire body right next to mine, touching me in most places, his show of content making me also sigh and relax into his hold even more. _I shouldn't be letting another person touch me so intimately._

I felt one of his hands trail up my spine and rest on the nape of my exposed neck, his warm hand feeling so soft and gentle on my sensitive skin. _He could kill me at any second, my weaknesses open to him._

I felt my own hands caress the muscled back of my friend, the friend I knew would never intentionally hurt me. I had the body I held in my arms memorized from the countless spars we had, every feature of his familiar but somehow invigorating at the same time. Suddenly his arms shifted me closer, allowing my nose to nuzzle his masked neck ever so slightly, filling my being with his comfortable and familiar smell. I felt him press me against him, making my face rest in the perfect little space between his neck and his face, the intimacy growing each passing second.

I couldn't believe how wonderful it felt.

To have the person you trust with your life hold you, caress you with this tenderness.

There is no way this isn't illegal.

_It is illegal._

My eyes shot open but I stayed in my roommate's embrace. A flashback of Lord Danzo came flying into my mind, disrupting my peace.

"_It's been seven days, Lanyra. Are you hungry yet?" I heard the low, unemotional voice of my master before the bars. I raised my head, looking at the disappointed man standing with his cane, staring down at me as I sat on the cold stone floor of the cell. I cleared my throat and replied with the appropriate answer._

"_No, master," my voice wavered, showing how famished I was after the week of no food. Only water. I struggled to look at the man, my vision wavering and my stomach a constant source of internal screaming as it complained at my hunger. The clenching pain I felt in my deprived stomach had come and gone, but now it had chosen to roar back right when my Lord was watching me. I blinked up at him, putting all of my strength into keeping a strong expression as he watched me and searched for any sign of weakness. This was my punishment. My punishment for making a friend._

"_Do you regret your actions?" he asked me, and I couldn't help but glare at him as my heart silently screamed 'No'. _

_Eight days ago, I had been training with Tenzo in the back courtyard that other ninja usually didn't go to. We had finished after training for a few hours, both of our chakras used up and our bodies fatigued. _

_We had been watching the sunset together, the two of us had become close friends despite the warnings our Lord Danzo had given us. Tenzo had turned to me, the sun illuminating his brown hair._

"_You're my best friend, Lyra," he had said to me seriously. My eyes wide, I replied,_

"_You're mine, too," I had smiled at him, a big, genuine smile. Smiles were rare in the Anbu, what with our masks covering our faces at most times._

_Without warning, I had grabbed his hand and had held it, squeezing it in thanks for his friendship. Also without warning, he had leaned over and gave me a kiss on my cheek, startling me. Both of us smiled at each other, and for the first time in a long time, I had felt true happiness. _

_That happiness ended quickly, however, when Lord Danzo had showed up at my sleeping quarters that night and dragged me to this cell, beating me when I fought him. _

_I was being punished for showing affection, for showing weakness, for being a disgrace of a shinobi._

_And now I had to _regret_ the one thing that had given me happiness._

_My stomach growled, a horrible, empty sound that reminded me of how many times I had already told Lord Danzo that I didn't regret it._

_I glared at my master, and said what he wanted to hear, almost sarcastically._

"_Yes, I regret it, master." I watched his face form an even more disappointed expression as he replied,_

"_No, you don't. Not yet." With that he turned away and left, leaving me to suffer in that cell for even more days until I had learned my lesson._

My mind snapped back to reality, and I pulled away from Kakashi, my brows furrowed. He let me withdraw, his eye blinking and then searching mine. I couldn't look at him.

I couldn't look at this kind man who has become the person I live with, my training partner, my closest friend. He's become more than my closest friend. I don't know what exactly or how, but it scared me.

_I am vulnerable to him. He could hurt me at any moment with a few words or even an expression. He could break me so easily._

I breathed for a second.

_But he wouldn't, that's absurd. Just as I would never hurt him._

I tried desperately to convince myself of this obvious truth, but my shinobi side wouldn't have it.

"Lyra," I heard his soft voice murmur, startling me out of my internal struggle. I looked up and met his kind expression that was neither accusing nor annoyed. He just closed his eye and smiled at me as he stood up and reached a hand down.

"Let's get some sleep," he said softly. I grabbed his hand and stood up, giving him a grateful smile and giving his hand a grateful squeeze. The moon shone on through the window as we readied ourselves for bed, the snoring of our drunken friend audible from all the way on the couch in the other room. Kakashi and I shared a smile at our friend and I settled under the covers, hugging a pillow to my chest and closing my eyes. I listened to my roommate's breathing, the constant sound my own personal lullaby as the familiar noises eased my consciousness to sleep.

_What's wrong with me?_

* * *

"Hey, Gai? Hey, it's morning, hun," I said softly as I lightly shook the sleeping drunk man's shoulder. He had fallen off of the small couch during the night and was lying face down on the carpet. Kakashi stood behind me as I was crouching down next to Gai, trying to ease him awake.

The bushy- browed man frowned in his sleep and scooted away from me an inch from my touch, making me smile.

"Gai, the Hokage wants to see you… You may have a mission today," I shook him some more slightly, knowing our Hokage wasn't known for her patience. The waffle maker beeped and I felt Kakashi turn to get our breakfast as I tried to wake our friend.

I watched his eye slightly open, the whites bloodshot and his expression confused. I reached a glowing hand to his forehead, trying to help ease the hangover I knew he probably felt.

Gai groaned slightly, shifting his limbs and squinting his eyes from the bright morning sun shining into the kitchen. I helped him up onto the couch, keeping a hand on his forehead as he rubbed his eyes.

"What happened?" He asked no one in particular as he took in his surroundings.

"Not much. You had a bit to drink after the stew last night," Kakashi replied from the kitchen, his lazy eye looking back at Gai and I over his shoulder as he got the waffles ready. I finished healing Gai's headache and pat his shoulder, bringing his focus back to the real world.

"The Hokage wants to see you. You should probably get something to eat and shower quickly before heading out, though," I told him, and he nodded. He inhaled deeply and smelled the fresh chocolate waffles in the kitchen, his focus zoning in on the delicious smell.

I smiled and stood up to join my roommate at the counter, steeping the tea and looking out the window to see the sun shining through the clouds, lighting the rest of the village. I too breathed in deeply, smiling at the smell of chocolate. Glancing over at my roommate, I could tell he was enjoying it too. He thought he could hide all of his emotions by covering his face, but you can just look at how his hands move with more sureness and energy and how his single eye was full of more light as he performed certain tasks, his body movements betraying what he felt.

I walked over to the couch with two plates and sat down next to Gai, receiving his thanks with a nod. I enjoyed the chocolate waffles to the fullest, appreciating how warm and soft they were as they filled my stomach. Gai beside me ate his quickly, his mind returned as he probably realized that the scary woman in the in the Hokage office was waiting for him.

Kakashi and I started the dishes as Gai took a shower, and I looked up at my roommate next to me, feeling something.

Seeing his expression confirmed it.

He glanced over at me for a split second, and in that time, I read his eye.

"I know you need to train your Mangekyo, especially after your discovery yesterday." I watched him close his eye and smile slightly as I read his mind. "But could we train together today? I… I need to blow off some steam." I looked away, scrubbing the plate I held in the sink. I knew he knew what I meant by that; that I needed him specifically to blow off steam. I could train with anyone to blow off steam, but when training with ninja other than my roommate, I had to worry about things like accidentally hurting them if they couldn't keep up or if they fatigued. I didn't have to worry about that with Kakashi. With him, I could release all of my pent up power into some taijutsu, which the capable Copy ninja could counter by releasing all of his power.

I continued to try to scrub a stubborn burnt piece of waffle mix off of the removable waffle maker piece as I waited for his answer, the hot water and the soap still not getting it. Giving up, I lit my finger tip with fire and intended to burn the damned piece off.

I was stopped by my roommate's hand grasping mine, halting my careless approach. I looked over, surprised, to see him still focused on rinsing his plate with his other hand.

"You have selective patience." I raised my eyebrows as he glanced over at me, giving me a look that was softened by his growing smile. "You can stalk your prey on a hunt for hours, or wait patiently for an opening in a fight." He gently dipped my hand into the water in the sink, extinguishing my recklessly lit finger. He met my eyes with his amused one as he continued.

"But when it comes to civilian chores like unlocking doors and washing dishes, I'm afraid you are bested." His eye laughed at me as I glared at him and his truth. The accuracy in his observations stung, but it was refreshing having another person tell you something about yourself.

I sighed dramatically and looked at the dish I was washing with disdain, making Kakashi chuckle.

I ignored his tease and splashed a bit of water over at him, one side of my mouth lifting in a half-smile as I put my rag to it once again. He took the dish from me and started to scrub it himself, pushing my hands away when I tried to take it back, him wagging a finger at me with his aloof expression. This of course made me laugh and try to grab the dish from him, reaching past him as he held it away from me, his tease not over yet.

I scrambled after the dish he had taken from me, Kakashi and I flinging soap suds everywhere as he held up the waffle maker piece, his laughing eye never leaving mine. I glared at him and reached for it, our playful game making my smile widen.

His reach was higher than mine, and to my surprise, he held the dish so high I had to jump for it. _This ass!_ I gave him an exasperated look as he looked away from me with his indifferent expression, ignoring me and successfully riling me up with his signature Kakashi bored look as he stuck his other hand nonchalantly into his pocket. He had a small smile under his mask, the crinkle beside his eye giving him away.

Glaring at him, I wouldn't have his height be the deciding factor in our play fight. I placed my hands on his shoulders and climbed up him to get that damned dish he took from me, surprising him and making him jump.

His free arm came up, his hand holding my back to him to keep me from falling as we teetered on the tiled kitchen floor. My arms automatically came down to wrap around his neck as he tried to regain his footing, the extra weight of me unbalancing him as I had struggled upward to retrieve the waffle maker piece. He backed into the counter opposite the sink and he leaned against it as his other arm came down to help hold me to his chest.

I blinked, my face suddenly becoming two inches from Kakashi's, his eye wide as he continued to hold me up to his chest, the dish forgotten. My playful smile began to diminish as my eyes widened.

I waited for his arms to loosen and let me down to the floor, but he made no move as we blinked at each other, our close proximity sending us both to a shocked stillness.

My arms around his neck, my feet dangling an inch or so off the ground. Our fighting had suddenly turned into something else, and I swallowed as I felt his warm breath on my face and I smelled his distinct scent. _What…_

I watched his eye show a slideshow of multiple thoughts and emotions, some causing it to widen and some causing it to harden. All of his thoughts matched mine; a stream of conflicting decisions and uncertain feelings.

I felt his heart begin to beat faster, matching mine; our chests pressed against each other and my lower body dangling against him. My bare arms felt the quickening pulse on his neck, and his eye locked on mine as I felt myself heat up.

Instead of his arms loosening around me, they tightened; bringing our faces half an inch closer, our lips aligned and our heads tilting unconsciously in unison in the growing tension. My brain was turned off, my emotions flooding my veins, my eyes flickering as I felt this man bring me closer and closer to him.

_Then I heard the crack of a whip._

"_Illogical." The low voice said as I felt the strip of agony alight on my back again, filling my vision with stars and causing my body to flinch away from the abuse in an attempt to get a relief from the hopeless and forceful pain._

"_Irresponsible." The cloth balled in my mouth gagged my scream as the whip came down, mercilessly._

"_Absolute weakness." I felt tears leave my eyes, my anger and my confusion reddening my vision._

_I closed my eyes and waited for the next one, but none more came. I peeked my eyes open and looked up at my master. He looked down at me, his eye showing something other than disappointment. _

_I couldn't remember the last time I had seen anything other than disappointment on his face._

_I had lost count of how many days I had spent in the cell, and I couldn't remember the taste of food or what it felt like to not be in pain. The last time I had told Lord Danzo I didn't regret my actions, he had snapped his fingers and a few ninja entered my cell. Two held me down and one tore off the back of my ragged shirt, exposing my skin to the long, leather whip._

_He had only lashed me five times, however. And that was what had me confused._

_I expected more._

_I watched my master sigh and dismiss the ninja. I was so weak I couldn't hold myself up, but to my great surprise, my master caught me before I hit the ground. I felt his strong arms hold me with such unusual care I flinched away from him, but his strong grip helped me over to a wall and let me sit against it. He paused for a moment, and I had no idea what to expect anymore._

"_Your willpower pleases me, Lanyra." He stated, making me flinch again from his frankness and drastic change in tone._

"_You have proved that pain is not a factor in your life. That is a mark of a true shinobi." I stared at him, trying to comprehend his words. He looked at me thoughtfully and continued._

"_I just need a different method to teach you lessons." I blinked at him and swallowed my dry throat, awaiting my next punishment. Lord Danzo called to a ninja from around the corner in the hall._

"_Kinoe." I flinched once again, the name of my friend completely unexpected. I watched with hurt confusion as Tenzo slowly walked around the corner, his shoulders shaking and his head looking down. I blinked as my friend entered my cell, the cell I had been tortured in for an uncountable amount of days. He looked up at me, his eyes streaming tears but his eyes holding an unexpected strength and determination. I started as he spoke, his voice shaking but his words honest._

"_Lanyra, we were wrong." I stared at him as he actually spoke those words to me in confidence, actually believing them. My brain reeled, not understanding, while my heart exploded in my chest, stabbing icy fingers into my spine._

"_Shinobi must not love others." I felt my heart rupture even more as his deadened eyes looked into mine, convincing me that what he said was true. That what I had been believing in for the last month in my confinement, that what I had been holding on to through all of the pain was wrong. _

_I couldn't stand it._

"_We are just comrades. Just as all Anbu are." _

_I felt all of my spirit leave me then. My willpower, my confidence, my beliefs draining out of me like the lifeblood draining out of a dying body. He whispered one last sentence to me._

"_I am sorry."_

_I closed my eyes, unable to look at him anymore, unable to look at anything. I slouched against the wall, unable to think, unable to feel. _

_Wondering why I existed._

_I don't know how long I sat there, half dressed, starved, bleeding on that cold stone floor. I didn't feel my lash marks or my scraped knees, my clenching stomach or my dry throat._

_I only felt my pounding heart, the muscle in my chest throbbing as I felt it burn silently inside me._

_The only pain that could break me._

I emerged from my reverie just as I felt cloth covered lips brush mine, the pressure from his arms and hands on my back and the pulse of his heart in his chest and neck reminding me of how alive my own body was. I took in a breath.

_I can't._

_My heart…_

My eyes snapped open and I turned my head to the side, my breathing ragged as I began to hyperventilate, my thoughts and emotions running wild in my head and wrecking havoc.

The damned muscle in my chest was throbbing, screaming in pain. I couldn't take it.

I felt his arms loosen and I focused my entire being on remembering how to stand, trying not to appear as fucked up as I felt.

My feet alighting on the ground, I reached a hand out in front of me for anything to help me stay upright, my other hand going to my chest to try and rub the pain away.

_Breathe. Fuck, breathe._

I inhaled deeply like a swimmer coming up for a breath, my plan to try and appear relaxed and composed going out of the window.

I felt each beat of my heart reverberate through my entire being.

Each one hurt.

My hand landed on a hard stomach and I leaned against it, trying to convince my nerves I was okay.

I realized I was leaning on my roommate and I snatched my hand away quickly and I back stepped a few, running into the sink. I looked everywhere but him; I couldn't face his eye yet.

I was just trying to figure out what the hell was going on with me.

_I wasn't threatened, why is my body ready to fight?_

I shut my eyes.

_I don't understand anything right now._

I felt adrenaline pump through my veins, filling me with energy and making standing still impossible. I clenched my hands, my body beginning to shake; only knowing one thing for certain.

I needed to hit something.

I snapped my eyes open and caught Kakashi's eye with my determination, reading his confusion in his guarded expression. I felt a pang of guilt set in my stomach, knowing my confusion was probably nothing compared to his.

_He doesn't deserve this, this messed up roommate fucking around and randomly flipping shit with no warning._

_I will make it up to him. But right now…_

_Right now, I need to __**hit something**__._

"Kakashi, I'm sorry." I said seriously, watching his eye widen slightly at my adrenaline filled words. Without warning, I closed the space between us and grasped his hand and pulled him towards the front door.

_I need to fight. Now._

I dragged my training partner with me as I got the door open, forgetting about our bags, forgetting about our shoes, forgetting about those damned dishes.

I pulled him into the sun with me and did something reckless that I usually never do in my right mind.

I built up some chakra and before Kakashi could even let me know how crazy I am, I teleported us to our training field.

We both landed with our bare feet on the grass, me staring at all of the open space we had to fight and Kakashi probably looking at me like I was maniac.

I turned and looked at him, meeting his unreadable expressing with my adrenaline crazed eyes.

"I am sorry, Kakashi. But I need to fight right now." I breathed in deeply and begged my legs to stay still for a little while longer as I literally shook with pent up energy.

I watched his serious expression look me over with his calm and patience, his brows meeting in a concerned frown. His arms lay casually by his sides, his posture relaxed but ready.

_Please fight me._

"We should not spar if you are angry, Lyra." He told me calmly and reasonably, knowing my logical side was always one he could count on. It was not logical to fight against your friend when you are angry, as your negative energy towards them could easily seriously hurt the other if you fight when impassioned.

I was not mad, however. I shook my head.

"I am not angry." I told him honestly. My arms shook, needing to punch something, and my fists clenched. His eye searched mine and saw my truth. I wasn't angry at him, that much I was certain of. _I may be angry at myself, but recently that has been the norm._

I closed my eyes and I took in another deep breath, trying once again to calm my nerves.

My eyes still closed, I whispered,

"I think I am scared." I let out a breath at the hard truth of my own words. I swayed to lean on my other leg, the slight motion temporarily relieving my pent up tension.

I opened my eyes to see my roommate's concern radiate from him. I could tell he wanted to ask me, to make me talk it out. But right now my body needed to punch it out.

Kick it out.

I needed to run and jump and dodge and block and-

My focus zeroed in on the gloved fist of my roommate caught between my two hands, a few inches away from me. I had blocked him automatically, my body keeping up with his before my mind even could.

I met his eye and read his understanding. His serious expression was hardened, knowing what I needed right now was an intervention.

A fighting one.

A physical one.

I knew my roommate understood exactly what I needed, and I felt some tension relax in my chest as I threw a leg around in a kick.

I released all of my power and energy on him through my taijutsu, flying through the air and using my full arsenal of moves as I released my emotions through my fists. I threw all of my weight and more into the punches and kicks I aimed at my roommate, my friend, with the intention to beat him. It was alright, though, because he too threw his punches at me with his all, matching my power and cancelling it out. I felt him release all of his power on me, jumping back from me after a couple minutes to reveal his Sharingan.

I turned my brain off and let my body go at it, my limbs falling into their motions that matched and reflected those of my training partner's. I saw nothing but his face, his expression starting from his concerned seriousness and evolving into his familiar calmed enlivenment as we fell into our comfortable dance, both of us exchanging blows and receiving them in harmony. I felt my own expression relax into an almost smile, our fighting relaxing the inner part of me fully and allowing me to _be_ without having to think about anything else.

Time passed and I felt myself heave a relieved sigh in between our series of punches and kicks as my connection to this other person, this powerful man eased all of my worries and uncertainties.

I looked up some time later to see how far the sun had moved, and I realized I had had my roommate fighting me without any interruption for more than a few hours. I grabbed his fist as he aimed his punch at me and pulled him unexpectedly into a hug, my arms slipping under his and pulling his chest close to mine, burying my face into him.

I held on to his chest as he realized I had stopped attacking him and he slowly relaxed in my hold, eventually returning the hug. We both were covered in sweat as we regained our breaths. His shirt sagged off of his shoulder from the multiple holes I had made with my kicks, his pale skin in deep contrast to the damaged navy blue shirt. My clothes were ruined from the countless times his fingers had ripped my shirt and pants as I dodged his attacks, just barely evading his hands but resulting in the ragged clothing. Both of our feet were covered in dirt, and I unconsciously checked if he had any injuries.

I felt my heart return to its normal pace, and I heard my training partner's calm down as well. I breathed in deeply and sighed in content, my inner mechanisms finally at peace.

I smiled, relaxing in the embrace of my roommate that I knew I didn't deserve.

First off, I needed to apologize.

"Kakashi… I am so sorry." I mumbled into his shirt. Luckily, my roommate is used to translating my shirt talk into actual English, so I think he understood me.

I felt his arms move me backwards a few inches so he could look at my face. I watched his understanding eyes watch me back as I waited for an answer, any answer that would tell me if he didn't forgive me or not for my uncalled for actions.

I just looked at this man right in front of me, this man who stirred such feelings in me but also helped me recover from them when they became too much. This man who put up with my shit every day because he lived with me, who would charge me every time I cursed and who would chastise me for bingeing on chocolate. This man who could counter every move I make with accuracy and precision, who dealt with ripped clothing and dirty feet because I needed a fight.

I suddenly smiled at him, fully appreciating his friendship.

I closed my eyes and bowed my head.

"Thank you." I could feel his expression relax, even with my eyes closed. I'm sure he can read what I'm feeling right now, too. I felt like explanations weren't needed when we could just understand what we each meant through an eye contact or a touch.

I felt his soft finger brush a few strands of my hair out of my eyes. When we aren't fighting, his touch is always so dependably gentle, which makes my freak out in the kitchen even more absurd.

I felt his fingers lift my chin and I opened my eyes to see his answers in his understanding and kind eyes. I smiled at him, and he returned it.

His hand grasped mine and he pulled me over to our tree. I looked up at the beautiful giant, its canopy of leaves providing cool shade and its wide branches perfect for sitting in. I spotted our branch up near the top of the tree, perfectly covered by leaves to create the little space we always ate our lunch in.

We walked up the tree together by focusing our chakras on the bottoms of our feet, the bark a bit rough on our skin. We settled on our branch, Kakashi leaning against the trunk and I sitting next to him.

"Talk." His command wasn't harsh, but it was firm. I looked over and saw his patience and his kindness in his eyes, softening his word.

_Talk._ I knew what he meant, that I needed to explain what I was feeling to someone who understood me better than I understood myself. That way, both of us could figure out what the hell was going on in my mind.

_I feel so bad wasting his time with this._ I closed my eyes and sighed. _He could be doing something else that's productive or relaxing with his book, but instead he has to deal with his messed up roommate._

"Lyra, tell me." I looked at him again, and decided I would spill my guts to this man.

It wasn't like I was having any luck by myself, anyways.

I gathered my thoughts and decided I would start from the beginning.

"Lord Danzo treated all of his Anbu harshly, as I am sure you know. He was reprimanded for it eventually and has to continue his training in a safer, less extreme manner now." I watched Kakashi nod slightly.

"He taught me the shinobi way of life in an extreme manner, and his treatment towards me was the reason he was reprimanded." I played with a leaf that had fallen on our branch.

"I guess I just have his teaching methods ingrained in my mind, and they always come out and disrupt whatever I'm feeling sometimes." I refused to look at him. I rubbed the thin membrane of the light green leaf, the smoothness soft against my fingers.

"I don't know what's right and what's wrong anymore, and this uncertainty has haunted me and has… kept me from allowing many people into my life." I paused as I sighed, not used to talking about myself so much.

"And it's definitely not fair to the people in my life." I glanced over and saw his eyes watching me, his expression soft. We just looked at each other, my eyes apologizing and his understanding.

His eyes suddenly closed, and his brows came together. He spoke.

"You have two different events that cause you to have post traumatic stress." I blinked at him, thinking about his conclusion.

_I suffer from PTS when I fall asleep alone, from my time three years ago when those men abused me._

Flashes of that dark room came flying into my vision, but my experienced mind easily pushed them back.

_Could my lessons with Lord Danzo have affected me so much that things like intimate relationships trigger the pain I felt so long ago?_

I glared at the leaf in my hand and sighed sharply.

_Just another one of my weaknesses, then._

I looked up when I heard Kakashi sigh as well, a sad and distant sigh. He was looking down, a thoughtful expression on his face as he told me something in his mellow, low voice.

"More than a decade ago, I shot my chidori through my teammate's heart." My eyes widened as a forlorn expression took over my friend's face. He continued, his own heart needing to spill his story.

"Rin had been captured by enemy shinobi and had been forcibly turned into a Jinchuriki." I watched my roommate, his giving me a glimpse into his past a rare and cherished event.

"She jumped in front of my attack, aiming my chidori for her own heart to kill herself." His eyes closed, he just sat next to me on our branch, his chakra slightly stirring. "She did this to ensure the safety of our village."

I rested a hand on his leg, closing my own eyes and feeling his pain. He concluded,

"We had just lost my third teammate, Obito, right after he had gifted me with his sharingan."

I leaned over and rested my head on his knee, relaying my comfort and appreciating his story. I felt his hand come up and run through my hair, gently untangling the knots I had made from our fight and massaging my head with his own comfort.

We sat like that for a while, neither of us moving and neither of us wanting to. I felt the slight breeze carry the small strands of my hair before his hands would catch them, the cool feeling relaxing our battled bodies and drying our sweat. The tree slightly leaned from the breeze, taking us with it as the multitude of leaves around us ruffled in unison and sounded like a wave from the ocean. I felt the sunlight peek through the canopy casually, sometimes alighting on my skin or Kakashi's and warming us a bit, a perfect contrast to the refreshing wind.

His hand continued to run absently though my hair as he spoke.

"I recovered from my stress a few years ago, when I met my first genin team." I felt him smile slightly as I kept my head on his knee.

"I hope you get to meet Naruto, Lyra." I looked up and turned to see my roommate's thoughtful expression.

"He reminds me a lot of you. You both have immense power, both mentally and physically," he met my eyes, his eyes soft. "And you both had rough upbringings."

I blinked at him and watched his distant expression as he thought about his old student. He continued.

"Naruto has his own shinobi way of life, and I think of him and his personal ideals often when I think about the Anbu's way of life." He paused and looked at me.

"I don't think one way of life is better than the other, but I do think it is an individual's decision on how to live."

I stared at him, letting his words soak into me and their honesty and reason making my eyes widen. _What he is saying…_

_It makes sense._

I blinked at him as his hidden mouth began to smile at me, his words being exactly what I have been needing to hear all of these years. How such a simple idea, of living your own way, had never occurred to me before, I had no I idea.

_I can live… by my own shinobi way of life?_

I suddenly needed to thank this man for his insight, his understanding, his patience and his kindness. I reached my hands up and cupped both of his cheeks, my body moving on instinct and his brows slightly heightening. I quickly brought our faces closer and I gently kissed his forehead, his nose, and then his masked mouth, before either of us even knew what we were doing. I leaned back to smile at him, and I mean really smile at him, letting him know how thankful I was for him being my roommate, my training partner, and my closest friend.

"Thank you, Kakashi." I said softly, watching him blink at me with his uneven gaze, both his dark eye and his sharingan eye looking at me with slight surprise. I removed my hands from the sides of his face and I stood on the branch, my feet lightly stepping on the rough bark.

I jumped down onto the ground, my toes being tickled from the grass. I looked around at the destroyed field, the chaotic sight somehow bringing even more peace into my already calmed down heart. I felt him land on the ground behind me, and we formed the earth seal for our joint earth recovery jutsu, just like we had countless times before. The earth rumbled around us, returning to its normal, flat surface.

I sighed again, looking back in the direction of the village and remembering I had promised the Hyugas a spar yesterday when I ran into Neji on my way to report to the Hokage. I also told Sakura I would study some poisons with her soon. I looked up at the sky and realized I still had half of the day left, but my spar with Kakashi had left me more tired than I usually was due to our uninterrupted fight.

I felt him approach me from behind, and I looked around at him to see his body language also display his fatigue. Right now, I wanted to do nothing but go home with my roommate and read my smut book all day after taking a nice, long shower.

And eat something, because I was _hungry_.

Kakashi spoke.

"We have leftover stew." I smiled at his mind reading and I nodded. I began to walk in the direction of the village, and then I stopped when I remembered our appearances.

Both of our clothes were tattered to the point where they barely covered anything, and neither of us had shoes on.

_Damn it, Lyra._

I looked behind me at him and gave him an apologizing chuckle, his own eyes full of amusement at our interesting appearances. He walked up to me and we walked together to the village, the ground soft on our feet and the holes and rips in our clothing letting in the breeze to cool us off.

We approached the village gate, both of us timidly seeing all of the bustling people who would most likely become alarmed when they saw our dirty get up.

I looked up at my roommate with another apologizing look, but he simply smiled at me with his crinkle as he shrugged his shoulders.

We walked into the village, our ruined clothes hanging off of us and our dirty feet padding silently on the pavement. We only received a few horrified stares, the other ninja around raising their eyebrows and seeing the evidence of the rumor that my roommate and I have dangerous spars.

I saw a group of older shinobi that included Asuma laugh jokingly at Kakashi as he waved them away, Kakashi and I walking quickly to our apartment. I smiled at his friends, feeling guilty once again my roommate had to deal with me and the weird ruined clothes and bare feet that came with me.

We finally arrived home; I actually managed to get the door open without breaking the lock. We padded inside, trying not to get anything dirty. Kakashi spoke.

"You can take the first shower; I'll heat up some stew for us." I smiled at him and tiptoed into the bedroom, easily pulling off my ripped clothing and slipping into the shower.

I got the hot water going and eased myself into it, sighing at the temperature. I rubbed some shampoo into my hair and attempted to get out some tangles, the natural scent putting me in a good mood.

I felt him approach the bathroom, and I heard his muffled voice ask me something from behind the door. I couldn't make it out over the sound of the water from the shower, however.

"Hmm?" I asked, and I heard the door open. I peeked around the shower curtain, my hair still covered in soap and the water still running. I saw my roommate slowly enter the steamy bathroom, his ragged clothing still hanging off of him and his feet still muddy, giving him a wild look. The familiar glint I saw in his eye also added to the effect.

I raised my eyebrows at him as he looked in the mirror and took what remained of his shirt off, his sculpted chest and arms rippling from the movement. I took in a breath when he slid his pants off, as well.

"Um, what was that about me having no patience earlier?" I asked him, exasperated. I hid a bit behind the curtain and began to wash the soap from my hair. "You can't wait a couple more minutes?" I asked him jokingly as I heard even _more_ clothing slip off of his body with a slight rustle.

"There's a bath." He responded absent- mindedly. We did have the bath, as it was separate from the shower. _But does he intend to use it while I'm showering over here?_ I frowned, glaring at the silhouette outline of his from behind my curtain. _He loves to embarrass me, the ass._

"The stew's heating up." He said with his bored tone, which made me peer around the curtain again to give him a look for his nonchalant behavior when I saw his face in the mirror, unmasked.

It took willpower to continue to look at him as he met my eyes with his, his face completely bare of a mask and his forehead bare of a headband. The skin of his chest that I knew too well just continued up to the skin of his strong neck to the skin of his angular face, the Kakashi I saw in the mirror looking completely different from the Kakashi I see every day.

Usually when I catch a glimpse of his nose or his mouth when he's eating or brushing his teeth, we both quickly look away, the unspoken privacy always respected and adhered to by both parties.

That's why when my roommate looked at me, stared back into my eyes with his face _bare_, I couldn't help but look back at him.

I saw something then. I saw in his eyes, a slight vulnerability, so unlike Hatake Kakashi. He looked at me with confidence, baring his face to me, but his eyes watched mine carefully for my reaction.

_We've thought about a lot today, the two of us._

Today we each shared to the other the delicate and painful memories that caused us to relive the pain and stress, years after they even occurred. I learned about what had damaged Kakashi's heart so terribly, he needed a decade to recover.

_We both must be pretty emotional right now._

I blinked at him, and responded to his statement earlier in all of my natural casualness, because seeing some skin of the man I have already been through so much with really does have no affect on how I see him, and how I already feel around him.

I knew he was attractive as hell _before_ he showed me his attractive face.

He's still just my roommate, my training partner, my close friend. Kakashi.

"Thanks, I think I will add even more spice to mine this time for a stronger kick, and I can do so to yours too if you want." I half-smiled at him through the mirror as I grabbed a towel from the rack and wrapped it around my body. I stepped out of the shower carefully and squeezed out the gallons of water that can hide in my wet hair.

I walked past him and opened the door to the bedroom, about to enter it when I felt his hand lightly grasp my wrist.

I looked behind me, eyebrows raised, as my bare-faced roommate responded to me.

"Go ahead; spice mine up." I watched his lips move as he spoke words to me, the sight strangely fascinating. Then his lips smiled at me. I looked at his face, smiling at me, and I couldn't help but smile back as I closed the door and entered the bedroom to get dressed.

_Stop it, heart. Stop pounding. He's not _that_ attractive, is he?_


	7. Mistakes

**Here's another, thank you for reading. :)**

* * *

**Kakashi**

"Kakashi I _swear to God_, I will heal that _damned cut_ I gave you on your chest if it is the last thing I _fucking_ do."

Kakashi chuckled internally at the threat, absolutely loving the sight of his huffing roommate run after him with her hands glowing and her hair whirling in her frustration. Her usually big eyes were narrowed into slits; the glint of angry silver was shining at him from all the way from his distance from her. His roommate's expression was shooting hundreds of kunai at him, and he was somewhat glad that looks couldn't kill.

Well, her looks were doing the opposite of killing him; they were giving him delight.

"I do believe that would be 5o more yen into the swear jar, Lyra." Kakashi called over to her indifferently, silently laughing at the intensified glare he had achieved from her reddening face. Kakashi stood with his hands in his shorts pockets, looking off into the distance aloofly as he expertly regained his breath from running away from the angry redhead. She had almost caught him multiple times, but he couldn't resist dodging her hands when he saw the adorable expressions he could get from her by refusing her healing.

"Really, Lyra, I'll just let it heal naturally." He added absently, electing yet another darker shade of red from his roommate's face. He turned a bit so she had a good view of the bleeding cut she had accidentally given him when they were training with kunai and shuriken, the cut on his chest slightly dripping blood down his stomach. The cut barely hurt, but what really mattered was how the sight of it instantly turned his roommate's seething form into a sad and caring one, her eyes widening and glistening a bit and her shoulders easing up from the angry tension. Kakashi watched her stare at the small scratch on his chest with more care than anyone had ever shown him before, her small hands clasping together and her brows furrowing in pain as the deep silver wells of her eyes opened up and showed her kind soul.

The sight was almost enough to make Kakashi walk up to her right then and apologize and let her heal him, but he selfishly waited just a little bit longer to enjoy the care he was receiving.

_I'm a rotten man._

Suddenly, Kakashi felt someone grab him from behind, the person's hands feeling slightly slippery and cool, like water. Before he could even react, he was held forcefully in place by the unknown person behind him as Lyra slowly walked up to him, a triumphant look on her face and her hands glowing blue. She glared up at him with her crooked smile when she got within a foot from him, and Kakashi realized the person holding him was Lyra's water clone.

_Water clones are perfect for sneaking up behind people, the formation of water clones is almost silent compared to making other elemental clones._

Kakashi couldn't help but smile as his training partner held him down and forced her healing on him. He watched her eyes focus on his cut, her crooked smile and glare diminishing to be replaced with her sadness once again.

"Hold still, damn it." She told him softly as he playfully struggled in the clone's hold. He stopped struggling and was about to tease her about putting more money into the swear jar when she looked up at him and gave him a_ look_ that said, '_I fucking dare you to tell me to put more money in that damned jar'._ Kakashi smiled at her as she lightly pressed her healing hands over the cut on his chest. She released the water clone without looking up from her work, the firm hands disappearing from Kakashi's back. He watched her with soft eyes, noticing how she slightly frowned when she was concentrating, her eyes widening on her work and her face relaxing in doing something she loved doing; helping others.

She finished quickly and stepped back a step to observe her work as Kakashi chuckled at her, glad he hadn't been able to hit her once with any of his kunai or shuriken. _She is so good at dodging attacks; I couldn't land a hit even once._ And he had actually been giving it his all this time, unlike the training session from a few days ago.

Kakashi had pulled some of his punches and kicks from her, just in case he might actually land a blow. He started doing this unconsciously when he had managed to bruise her cheek with a punch after trying a new series of attacks they were working with. She had completely ignored it, as if she wasn't bleeding from her face, and continued to spar with him as if it had never happened. Kakashi, however, insisted they stop and she heal herself first, much to her cute annoyance.

The next time they fought, Lyra noticed that he wasn't putting all of his weight into his punches and stopped him immediately to reprimand him. Kakashi's roommate was flexible and understanding in almost all things, her ability to try new things and adapt to others was known among anyone to get to know her. Except when it came to pulling punches on her or not attacking her with all of your strength. That's when she slams her foot down and demands you to attack her with as much power as you can muster against her.

Kakashi still had that amusing image in his mind. The image of her pointing her finger at him accusingly and her eyes glaring at him with silver flames as she asked him whether or not she was worthy of receiving his power at his full potential. There was no arguing with her passionate reasoning and he grudgingly accepted her points and conceded to attack her with his full power, just glad she could deflect him.

"Thank you." He said as his hand came up to rub his spotless chest, the crawling feeling of your skin being healed at an incredibly fast rate always leaving a slight itching feeling behind. He watched his roommate give him a half-smile, her hand on her hip and her face looking over to their lunch tree, probably thinking about her insatiable hunger.

"I'm hungry too; let's have lunch," Kakashi said, and Lyra looked back at him to nod in agreement. The two jumped up the tree together and settled on their familiar branch, the wood already slightly worn down from their time spent there every other day. Recently, they would train together every other day and the days in between Kakashi would train his Mangekyo alone and Lyra would train with others. Lyra dug into her teleportation bags and pulled out some rice balls and a couple leftover egg rolls from the night before, still warm from her insulated bag. She also pulled out a thermos of hot tea and sipped some of it, then handed it over to him wordlessly so he could have a drink.

The two enjoyed their lunch together under the splotchy shade of their tree, the cool breeze slightly becoming more and more cool as the year wore on and the temperature dropped. Kakashi thought about how long his roommate had been here, for more than a couple months, and he couldn't decide whether it felt like only a few weeks or a whole year. In some senses, like his friendship with the exotic, unique woman who sat beside him and devoured the rice ball and the egg rolls mercilessly, it felt like he had known her for more than a year. He couldn't remember the last time anyone else had just understood him so completely, and vice versa. He and his training partner had also improved in their fighting skills at a much faster rate than he could have on his own, also making his time with her seem much longer than it actually was.

In other senses, though, it felt like he had only known her for a few weeks, when it came to their time outside training and outside their friendship.

Kakashi could still remember every moment of their first night together, the details still astonishing him and causing his cheeks to slightly redden. He also remembered their passionate second night, just as eventful and pleasurable as the first but even more so due to his friendship with her at the time. When he thought about their few encounters like that, he felt like he had only known her for a little time.

Especially that time a week or so ago when she had told him of her traumatic experiences when she was young that made close human contact almost painful to her. He didn't fully understand exactly what would trigger her PTS regarding her Anbu memories, but he did know the few things they could do from her own affections towards him. He could hug her without worrying about triggering her stress, but never for as long as he wanted to, and never as deep as he felt himself doing unconsciously.

_I've become soft to worry about such things._ Kakashi chided himself, and focused on the wide, innocent eyes he felt on him from his roommate sitting next to him. He looked over to see her food gone and her puppy eyes peering at his own uneaten food, her innocent hunger taming her wild look and turning her from the powerful, graceful killing machine she was to the desperate and hungry puppy who wanted seconds. _I will have had it if she starts whimpering._

"Here," he said as he broke his rice ball into two and handed her half, causing her pained look to beam at him as she excitedly devoured the food and thanked him between bites. He chuckled softly as he ate his own rice and listened to the birds chirping in the distance and the leaves dancing in the wind in a chorus wave. He pulled his book out after he had finished the food and flipped to his page, smiling slightly as he heard Lyra do the same. They would often lose track of time when they both began to read after lunch together, one day only realizing they had been reading for so long when they could no longer see the lines in front of them in the dark. He and Lyra had that in common; their ability to get lost in literature and forget about their lives in the present.

He knew they couldn't do that today, however. Lady Tsunade had some errands for him to run and he knew Lyra was in the midst of learning about poisons with Sakura in the hospital. But for a little while at least, he could relax next to his friend and enjoy his favorite pastime in the cool breeze up in their tree. The breeze had become almost too cool against their mostly bare skin when he felt Lyra slightly shift next to him and lean against his side, slightly warming both of them and allowing them to continue with their smut stories in comfort.

* * *

**Lyra**

"Neji?" I asked as I looked up from the Poisons book I was reading in my room in the hospital. I had gotten myself into the good habit of reading old textbooks when waiting around for patients to come trickling in. I looked up at my friend standing in the doorway, his eyes squinting at me and his shoulders tensed. I had trained with him and Hinata yesterday, and I healed his eyes afterward just like after every time we fought for the last few weeks. I had been fighting him often since Kakashi insisted on training his Mangekyo every other day, but the result was me getting better at defending against the gentle fist.

I watched Neji walk into my room and sit down on the chair next to me, his hand coming up to rub his forehead. The sight has become familiar to me ever since I convinced him he didn't have to act tough around me like he usually did for everyone else. It's pointless to act in front of your training partner when they can see right through you. But I guess that is just the way he was raised in his traditionalist family; to put up a good show.

Neji usually doesn't overuse his eyes if he is just fighting against Hinata on a day we don't train, so the sight of him coming in after just one day after me healing him made me raise an eyebrow at him. He looked over at me and explained,

"My family is preparing for a New Years demonstration of the gentle fist, and I have been chosen to participate." I watched his eyes slightly smile in pride, proud that his hard work had been noticed in his unfair standards by the men higher up in his family. _I'm proud of him, too. He has really improved these last few weeks._ I smiled at him and sent him my congratulations by touching his shoulder, and then frowned when I realized how hard his family must have pushed him today to cause his eyes to be this strained.

Not wanting to waste any more time and cause him to feel the stress for any longer than he had to, I reached up a hand and rest it on his eyes, noticing how his shoulders slightly relaxed even before I had started healing him. I felt his forehead lightly rest onto my healing hand, his face relaxing from the usual tension he always held and his long hair slightly falling forward. I always admired the Hyuga's soft straight hair; I was lucky that my unruly mane didn't swallow up children when my back was turned.

I pushed a bit more chakra than I usually did into his eyes, knowing I would cause him to overuse them again tomorrow and feeling guilty for it. I felt Neji's soft hand reach up and grasp my wrist to slowly move my healing hand away from his already healed eyes, his eyebrows raised a bit and a small smile softening his face.

"Thank you, Lyra." He said politely, but with less formality than he used to use when he addressed me from our growing friendship. I smiled and nodded at him, glad he could blink at me with his large pale eyes without the painful strain he had on them before. I expected him to let go of my wrist then, but was surprised when he didn't. He continued, his large eyes still on me.

"My team and a bunch of others are going out for barbeque tonight. Would you like to join us?" I blinked and immediately smiled at the thought of barbeque. _It has been so long since I had some good barbeque!_

"I would love to, thanks," I responded with another smile, happy to go out somewhere tonight. I was about to ask if Kakashi could come too when I remembered.

I am in a unique situation where I fit in with the ninja of Neji's age because I am only a few years off from them. I also fit in with ninja of Kakashi's age because, well, we live together and we train together all of the time, as equals. However, these two groups of friends were separated through the title of sensei. It's true that Kakashi wasn't really Sakura's sensei anymore, but he had once been and those relationships are a bit stricter than friendship.

_Well, except with Gai and Lee, but those two are an exception._

I broke out of my train of thought when I felt Neji's hand slowly release my wrist. I looked up at him as he looked down and closed his eyes with his smile, just to open them again to look at me.

"We are meeting there around six. I'll save you a seat." With that he stood up and walked to the door, stopping there to turn back at me. "Thank you again," he said with his slight smile as he turned to leave. I blinked and then opened up the textbook again, and found my page on poison cures as I smiled at the thought of barbeque.

* * *

"Fireball, fuck off. I am _not_ wearing those clothes again." I told the tiny, excited dragon firmly. I was writing a quick note to leave Kakashi that I was going out for dinner, just to let him know. I left the napkin on the counter and walked back into the bedroom to stash some money into my pouches. The irritating lizard followed me into the room, flapping his tiny wings and blowing puffs of smoke at me. I made the mistake of summoning him when he called me as I entered the apartment, just to find once again that his human alcohol addiction was getting worse. I had refused to give him any, saying it was for his own good, and that was when he realized I was heading out for dinner. He of course was insisting I dress up for the _casual_ event, by wearing the same clubbing clothes I wore the last time I went to the bar. And I knew how that had ended.

"Lyra, you need to try to look attractive at least _sometimes_ in your life." The growling voice ranted over to me, making me glare at him over my shoulder.

"What the hell! I don't go insulting your appearances, asshole." The lizard huffed and replied,

"You insult my love for alcohol! That is a much worse offense!" I rolled my eyes at him and his drinking problem and shoved on my shoe, eager to go eat some barbeque.

"I'm leaving, which means you are too. Go steal alcohol from a human that actually has some." I watched the dragon snort at me and look away as I fit my second shoe on and stood up, ready to leave. The dragon puffed one more time at me as the corners of his snout slightly rose, and I half-smiled back at him as he disappeared in a cloud of smoke. I shook my head at my summoning with an attitude and headed out the door, struggling to lock it before leaving.

I arrived at the barbeque a little early, worried that I would be the first to show. Luckily, I spotted Neji leaning against the building, his eyes closed and his serious and thoughtful expression up. I approached him and he opened his eyes to look over at me, his expression softening and his mouth lifting in a smile. I smiled back at him as I joined him by the building.

"Choji and his team are already inside. He couldn't wait to eat," Neji told me in his polite tone, and I grinned in understanding.

"I wouldn't be able to wait, either," I said as I peered inside through the window. Neji led me into the building, the aroma of the cooking meat and vegetables filling the rooms with the warm and homey scent and sending my appetite to a higher level. We walked into a large room with a large table, and five people were already seated at it. I recognized Lee and Shikamaru, and I assumed the rest were the teams of the two. I smiled at everyone and sat down next to Neji, subconsciously eyeing the food at the table. The girl sitting next to Neji had two brown buns and kind but down to earth expression. She smiled at me and said,

"So you're the Lyra I've been hearing about? It's nice to meet you; I'm Tenten." I smiled back at her and replied,

"Hi, nice to meet you. I can't believe it has taken me so long to meet all of you; I guess I just got caught up in training," I said, rubbing the back of my neck and apologizing to all of them. I saw Lee restrain himself from jumping up and knocking over the table.

"Training is definitely important! I would very much like to fight you, Lyra chan!" I smiled over at Lee, nodding my head and replying,

"I'd love to fight you too, Lee. You let me know when you are free and we can have a duel," I told him, and this earned me a thumbs up and a determined smile from him. I looked over at the spiky haired strategist.

"Any word from Temari, Shikamaru?" I asked him, and he raised an eyebrow and looked at me critically. I had told him about my mission when I met her, a couple of weeks ago. He looked over to the side and gave the world a contempt look, replying,

"Che, no. Women always take their time." I chuckled at him as he smiled lazily over to me and looked over as more people entered the room and filled up the seats, Hinata coming to sit next to me. I smiled at her and she smiled back. She was finally able to talk to me with more confidence after all of my time at the Hyuga's compound, and she eagerly introduced me to her team of Kiba and Shino. I also met Choji and Ino from Shikamaru's team, and I did my best to remember names and faces as the table got even larger from Sakura joining us.

Socializing was one thing, but for me the main event started when they heated up the grills and brought out the food and sauces. It quickly became apparent that Choji and I both had the eating skill as we silently but eventually playfully fought over the delicious food, our chopsticks sharply clacking against each other's as we dove in for the quality meat. I caught the kind guy's eye from time to time, both of us grinning at each other as we strove to satisfy our hunger. Before I even knew what was happening, the group of ninja had split into two and were each cheering on either Choji or I in our competition to eat more of the tantalizing barbeque, the table spilt into two teams and the rowdy ninja shouting at each other. I laughed when Ino and Sakura began throwing playful insults at each other on their opposite teams, the poor chefs continuously bringing in more and more meat for us to barbeque.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself, the room full of young merriment and my stomach filling with good food. I felt my limit being reached as I grilled another piece of meat, just to look over at my competitor still going at it and wolfing down the barbeque with gusto. I ate the last piece of meat and collapsed in my chair, causing Choji's team to cheer and the talk and laughter to increase even more in the comfortable room. I chuckled as I smiled at Choji, and he even took a break from eating to smile at me back. I grasped my cup and sipped some tea, enjoying the company of talking ninja, all of them seeming happy.

I looked up as Ino asked Hinata something beside me, and I watched her face slightly blush before answering.

"K-Kurenai sensei has been spending m-more and more time inside lately," she said softly, making her team of Kiba and Shino look over at her at the mention of their sensei. I watched Ino roll her eyes and giggle slightly, her face taking on a slightly mischievous expression as she grabbed Shikamaru and Choji's sleeves to bring them into the conversation as well.

"It's so _obvious_, the way Asuma sensei always comes to the flower shop and buys flowers all of the time," she smiled with her eyes closed, and I watched Shikamaru's eyes roll at her.

"What a pain. It's not our business to care what Asuma sensei does with his spare time," he told her, and she shook her head and looked excited.

"It's so _cute_ the way he brings her flowers! I never thought he would be such a romantic," she said, and Kiba spoke up.

"I think Kurenai sensei likes it; otherwise why would she and Kakashi sensei not work out?"

I felt my eyebrows rise and a big smile form on my lips at the gossip.

"I think that is because Kakashi sensei is not known for being romantic, whereas Asuma sensei is," Shino said in his monotone, and everyone looked at him and gave him a look for the obvious statement. I did my best to stifle my laugh, trying desperately to picture my roommate doing something romantic and failing to come up with an image. Ino responded with her slight attitude that was underlined with kindness.

"Obviously, Shino. I knew they wouldn't work out from the beginning," she said knowingly, and Sakura joined into the gossip circle.

"You didn't _know_ that, Ino-pig. You just wanted your sensei to be with Kurenai sensei," Sakura told her, and Ino responded after putting her hands on her hips.

"Forehead, don't pretend like you didn't like it when Kurenai sensei and Kakashi sensei broke up," she said, making Sakura blush and glare at her.

"I-I didn't like it when they broke up! I thought they would g-go out on nice dates and she would maybe liven Kakashi sensei up a bit," she exclaimed, and I lost it.

I burst out laughing, the thought of my stoic and lazy roommate dressing up and taking a girl out on a date completely throwing me off of the edge. _Liven him up?_ I slammed the table with my fist and chuckled some more, tears coming to my eyes.

I looked up at Sakura's startled face and gave her an apologizing look in between my chuckling, my hand wiping my eyes and the ninja around me remembering I lived with their Kakashi sensei.

"I'm so sorry, I just, I can't even imagine Kakashi doing something romantic like going on a date," I explained, and saw Ino nod in agreement and Sakura give me a sad smile. The rest of the ninja chuckled in agreement, and our gossip dissolved into less taboo subjects.

We talked for a while longer and finished up the last few pieces of meat, people dispersing to return home one by one after dividing up the checks and paying the restaurant. I looked up as Neji and Hinata made to leave and smiled and waved at them, knowing I would see them tomorrow. They waved back and left the restaurant with a few others. I got up as well and I made my way outside after saying my goodbyes to all of the ninja, sighing as I entered the cool night.

I walked my way home, enjoying the new energy and liveliness that awakens when the sun goes down. The bars began to open up and people began to dance in the clubs, the lights sparkling and the air smelling of food and alcohol. I walked quickly past the bars and entered the quieter neighborhood that Kakashi and I live in. I sensed his chakra on the roof again, and I looked up at the full moon forming in the deep dark void of the sky. The stars were beginning to glow, the tiny sparks of light giving the endless sky form.

I shivered as the breeze wafted past me, and I decided I would grab a blanket before joining my roommate on the roof to stargaze. I slipped in through the open window he had probably left open to return through later, and I rummaged through the dark to find a warm blanket in the closet. Finding one, I padded over to the window barefoot and slipped outside, climbing up to the roof and finding my roommate sitting there in a relaxed position, leaning back on his hands and his head tilted towards the dark sky. I joined him there, and settled into his side with my blanket as I too looked to the stars, the brilliant sight putting me into a calm and peaceful state of mind.

I felt like I could sit there forever, next to my roommate and under the immense, infinite size of the night sky. Kakashi spoke softly to me as he relaxed into my side.

"I have a mission tomorrow." I blinked, and focused on the stars above me to keep my thoughts calm. He continued, "I won't be back until the next morning." I nodded slightly against him, understanding what he meant.

"I'll ask Sakura if I can spend the night tomorrow," I replied just as softly, not wanting to disrupt the peaceful silence. I looked up at him and shifted a bit closer, wrapping the blanket tighter around me.

"Please be careful." I said to him, and he looked down to meet my worried gaze with his reassuring smile.

"I'll be fine." He said nonchalantly, and I gave him a serious look. His eye crinkled and he continued, "The danger I'll face tomorrow is nothing compared to the danger I will face if I return here with injuries." He looked at me pointedly and I nodded at him in confirmation, my smile forming.

We sat there for a while, both of us just settling into our peaceful silence, the stars giving us a show and the cool breeze causing us to shift even closer to each other so we could share our warmth. Kakashi yawned above me, and it caused me to yawn, showing how late the night had worn on. I knew my roommate needed to get some sleep to be ready for his mission tomorrow, so I prepared myself to leave the comfortable spot I had beside his warm body and the warm blanket.

_I absolutely do not want to move. I am so comfortable here._

A stronger breeze blew into our faces and slipped through my blanket, causing me to shiver and involuntarily huddle closer to the warmth emitting from my roommate. I felt his heavy arm wrap around my shoulders and pull me into his chest, my eyes wide as he settled once again with me in his arms. I closed my eyes and let my body relax, my fingers curling into him to gather warmth and my face pressed against his soft shirt, unconsciously relaxing in his familiar scent. I heard and felt him mumble something softly, and I un-burrowed myself from his chest to look up at him to ask him to say it again.

"Hmm?" I asked him, and he repeated.

"You be careful while I'm gone, too." He said softly, his eye fixed on the moon but his thoughts elsewhere. I smiled at him and asked,

"What would I have to be careful around?" I rested my forehead on his collarbone, electing a deep sigh from him. His hand was absently playing with the edge of my hair, near my waist.

"You can be reckless," he said thoughtfully, and I chuckled at him, accepting the truth.

"I've been trying to not be as reckless," I offered weakly, and he chuckled back at me, my head slightly moving against his chest and his arms slightly tightening. I closed my eyes and smiled, absolutely content being wrapped up in a blanket and up close with my warm roommate, his strong arms holding me and his steady breath calming my nerves. I fully relaxed my body, entrusting my roommate with myself and giving in to my sleepy desires, my mind flashing in between the comfortable rooftop and my own dream world. The last thing I remember before completely succumbing to my sleepiness was the heartbeat of my roommate, the beating consistent and reliable, just like the man it belonged to.

* * *

**Kakashi**

Kakashi opened his eyes to see a mass of orange and red envelope his vision. He blinked a few times to focus on a smiling face looking down at him, the light grey eyes alight with energy and the smile slightly crooked on one side. The brightly colored mane was framing her face, her bedhead always amusing but also cute.

_Lyra._ Kakashi smiled up at her back.

"Mornin'," she said sweetly, one of her hands coming up to brush away a few strands of hair falling into her face from looking down at him. Kakashi felt her scent wash over him and he breathed in deeply, taking in her natural scent but also the warm, homemade smell of baking muffins.

Baking chocolate chip and strawberry muffins.

Without thinking, he sat up suddenly and wrapped his arms around his roommate and squeezed her, making her gasp in surprise.

"Good morning." He said softly into her ear, her body slowly relaxing from her automatic tension she got any time anyone touched her. He felt her small hand slip around him and pat his back in reply, her head resting on his shoulder and her body relaxing in his arms. He felt his roommate intake a breath to say something.

"Kakashi? Thanks for last night." She said quietly, and Kakashi remembered their night on the roof. She had fallen asleep in his arms, her lean body supple in his hands as she had relaxed into his chest. He knew what it meant for this woman, who had been through hell multiple times, to trust another person with her body, as she sleeps. Kakashi appreciated the trust his roommate and training partner has for him, and he had carefully carried her to bed in her blanket.

He rubbed his hand along her back, letting her know there was no reason to thank him. He felt her relax a little bit more every time his hand ran down the length of her back, and he felt the familiar spark light a fire in his stomach every time she allowed him to hold her in his arms. He wouldn't let himself get carried away anymore, though. Not after what he did to her last time.

He opened his eye and stared at the bookcase across from him, determined to stay calm and collected in the presence of the woman who made him everything but that. He filled his mind with images of his roommate that time in the kitchen, her expression so full of fear he thought he was having a nightmare. This helped him loosen his hold on her intriguing figure and lean back slightly to look at her. His eye alighted on her kind eyes, so full of happiness and understanding that he felt his expression soften. He closed his eye to be able to gather some thoughts, and he stood up from the bed, in nothing but his loose shirt and some boxers, and his face mask. He opened his eye and reached a hand down to help Lyra off of the bed, her own attire just his old baggy shirt coming down to her mid-thighs.

Kakashi peered over to the door to the kitchen, his stomach slightly rumbling from his meekly dinner he had scrapped together when he learned Lyra wouldn't be eating with him. Lyra too succumbed to her hunger and she grabbed his hand and almost dragged him into the kitchen, the aroma of the muffins filling his soul with warmth and contentment. The two ate their breakfast together and washed the dishes together, just like every morning. Lyra sat down at the table and pulled out her book as Kakashi went back into the bedroom to prepare for his overnight mission.

Strapping on the last few bags, Kakashi looked up when he entered the kitchen to see the whirling mess of orange hair approach him. He felt one of her hands lightly grasp his cheek and her lips softly place a small kiss on his other cheek, the warm feeling lingering even after she backed up to smile at him with her crooked smile. He smiled back at her and her goodbye and he walked out of their apartment after slightly brushing her cheek with his thumb, already eager to finish this mission quickly and return home.

* * *

**Lyra**

"Hi, are Neji and Hinata here?" I politely asked the Hyuga maid as I entered the compound to find the training courtyard empty. The afternoon sun was slowly warming the land, the sky cloudless and the breeze comfortable. A good day for training. I had arrived later than I usually did because I had to stop by Sakura's and ask if I could crash at her place for the night, and we had gotten caught up on talking about our recent discoveries and experiments with poisons.

"They are inside the main hall preparing for the festival, Lyra san. Would you like to leave a message for them?" She asked me nicely, and I tried not to frown. _Who will I be able to train with today, then?_ Just then, the big, beautiful traditional sliding wood doors to the main building opened up and revealed Lord Hiashi in a decorated robe, his bearing powerful and full of authority. He spotted me by the gates to the compound and I watched a small smile form on his serious face. He slowly walked towards us and we both bowed, showing our respects to the head of the Hyuga clan. I felt his chakra stop in front of me and he spoke in his deep voice.

"Lyra, I am glad you came today. The elders have gathered to assess the gentle fist prowess of the clan and to prepare for our ceremony for the New Year." I nodded and watched his thoughtful expression look at me. He continued,

"You and my nephew have fought together for some time now, and every time I have watched, you push him to use his best techniques and his skills shine under your challenge." His brow slightly softened as his mouth formed a small smile at me. "I would appreciate it if you would fight Neji today as you would when you train, and show the elders of the passion brought about by two young and highly skilled ninja."

I blinked up at him and smiled at him, bowing as I felt honored to be asked to fight in front of the elders of his clan. It probably meant a lot for an outsider to enter their traditional home and participate in their yearly rituals. I started when I felt his heavy hand land on my shoulder, making me straighten up from my bow.

"I would be honored to, Lord Hiashi." I replied and he nodded as he turned to walk back to the building, and I followed.

We entered into the beautiful building; the sun shining though the broad windows on the many faces that turned to our arrival. I was slightly overwhelmed by the amount of people in the room, all of them dressed nicely, making me aware of my almost skimpy training garb. I removed my shoes and searched through the tens of chakras in the room to find Neji's and Hinata's, over in the corner, awaiting Lord Hiashi. I looked over and smiled at them to see them smiling at me back, their clothes slightly altered into a more formal attire. Hinata looked beautiful in a traditional pink kimono, and Neji looked handsome in an expensive-looking hakama, the formal style making him look older. I met his eyes and saw determination but also a small bit of caution, and I quickly assessed the social situation.

Many of the elders were looking at my training partner with an almost contempt look, their arms crossed or their brows frowning. _They disapprove of someone from the branch family performing in the ceremony._ I skillfully kept my own brows from frowning at the biased and ignorant way of thinking. However much I disagreed with their way of life, I was still a guest in their home and I would act with all of the politeness that I could muster.

I glanced down at my attire and grimaced once again at how completely underdressed I was. Not to mention the fact that all of the people in here had normal, nice flowing black or brown hair, while my obnoxious mane looked like the mentally challenged black sheep in the midst of these traditional and formal white sheep.

I looked up when Lord Hiashi spoke to the crowd, quieting the small chatter and demanding the attention of everyone there.

"Neji and Lyra; prepare for a spar in the center of the room." I swallowed and padded over to the cleared space, meeting Neji's eyes and smiling at him to hopefully relax his obviously tensed nerves. The older men lined along the walls and focused their attention inwards, many of them relaxing by sitting on a cushion and others preferring to remain standing. I took in a deep breath to prepare myself for training, and I watched Neji try to do the same, his arms and legs shaking out to get the blood moving but his shoulders and core still tense from the close scrutiny. And the scrutiny wasn't just close; it was also full of disapproval, the elders watching him for any mistake to hold against him.

I decided then that I would give them a good fight. I wouldn't let Neji win; I would never do that. I would make him fight against me and I would do what his uncle wanted me to do, challenge him and force him to use all of his techniques against me. Fights among friends don't always need a winner and a loser; I had learned that much from neither winning nor losing against Kakashi for the last few months. They just needed to be intense, and real.

We bowed to each other and then I got into my fighting stance, an original stance I preferred that was in between the strong fist and the gentle fist. The last bit of chatter died down among the elders as I built up some chakra to fuel my limbs and fill me with energy. I felt the tension in the room slightly build as everyone waited for physical contact. I watched Neji do the same, and I smiled at him again and nodded, letting him know with my half-smile that we would kick ass together and show his disapproving family how much he had grown. He smiled back at me and closed his eyes, relaxing the rest of his body. He activated his Byakugan and stared at me with his pale eyes, his eyes searching for my chakra points.

I had fought against him enough times to know where most of them were on my body, probably around 300 of the 361 points. I stared back into his determined gaze as Lord Hiashi spoke into the silence.

"Begin."

With that, Neji and I flew together and threw our power at each other, the intensity of the blocks and punches throwing slight blue chakra waves upon each contact. I twisted and dodged and blocked, deflecting all of his blows by countering his sharp chakra flow with my own. I stayed on the defense for a while, letting him use his arsenal of offensive moves and dancing along him in the symmetry of battle. We stayed near the center of the sparring ring, our power display threatening to overrun the elders but our experience fighting one another letting us keep the collateral damage to the minimum. At quick glance, the elders seemed wide-eyed at our ferocity, but I saw the gleam in their eyes from enjoying a good fight.

I then moved to the offensive, attacking him with my punches and kicks with my fast speed, capturing the attention of the elders. I whirled around him and forced him to use all of his methods of defending himself, by slapping my punches away and diverting my kicks with the grace of the gentle fist. I smiled at him through my attacks, letting him know his demonstration of the gentle fist was going along well, and his small smile eased the intensity of his hard fighting expression.

I upped my speed a bit and continued to hammer blows on him, confident that he could deflect them all if he tried hard enough. I forced him to spin in his ultimate defense, the high leveled gentle fist skill electing many nods of approval among the elder spectators. I attacked him with most of my power until I felt he had exhausted all of his usual defenses, and then I made eye contact with him and let him know it was time.

With a slight nod, he jumped at me with more ferocity than a usual gentle fist user would use, his precision and accuracy causing even greater chakra waves to emit from our contacts and collisions. I increased my speed even more and returned his power with my own fists, our fight turning to an all-out duel as we exchanged punches and blocked each other, our speed only possible through keeping the delicate rhythm we had achieved from training together often. I heard soft gasps from the elders, and I saw Hinata grin at us from her chair in the corner. Neji abandoned the elementary blocks and punches and did what we do during training; experimenting with new moves and testing each others' strengths and weaknesses and our own strengths and weaknesses through adding an artful and abstract creativity to our fight.

Neji and I continued fighting against each other, neither of us gaining the upper hand and both of us keeping up with the other's speed and precision. I refrained from using the Byakugan's blind spot, knowing the secret was too significant to use among all of the other Byakugan users in the room. I was breathing hard and so was Neji, both of us dripping with sweat from the unending, undisturbed series of punches and kicks. I almost didn't hear Lord Hiashi's call for an end in the duel, and we halted our attacks just as my fist was about to hit his jaw and his hand was about to hit my stomach.

I looked in my friend's eyes and saw his happiness and his almost relief from our good fight, the tension in the room dissolved from the clapping elders who had enjoyed the fight. I smiled at him and took in a deep breath, he doing the same and regaining his breath as well. We both relaxed our stances as a few men approached us, their previously suspicious and contempt looks gone and replaced with small smiles and energetic expressions, probably enlivened by my fierce fight with Neji.

"That was an expert use of the gentle fist, Neji. Both in defense and offense," one man said to him, and I watched with a smile as he humbly accepted the praise.

"Thank you, Lord Hanto." Neji bowed to his relative, and accepted more praises as some men addressed me.

"Lyra, was it? You have immense skill in taijutsu to counter and attack the gentle fist." I smiled at the old man politely and bowed, replying,

"Thank you, it is an honor to fight against the powerful gentle fist and the Byakugan." The man nodded and some more joined him to ask me questions and offer me praise. I smiled and did my best to answer them all courteously, evasively evading any questions about my clan or past. I wasn't about to tell these traditional men that I referred to myself as Lanyra Daremo, meaning no one, of no origin.

Lord Hiashi made his way through the group to the center to speak to Neji and me. We both looked up at his tall figure as he addressed us.

"That was a good fight. Neji, I feel confident giving you the responsibility of performing the ritual for the New Years ceremony." I watched an awe come from my friend's face, his eyes widened and his smile actually showing some teeth as his uncle placed a hand on his shoulder, letting him know very subtly how proud he was of his nephew.

I closed my eyes and bowed my head, happy he was getting the recognition he deserved. I started when I felt Lord Hiashi put his other hand on my shoulder.

"Lyra, you compliment the gentle fist and bring its features into a new light. I would like you to perform in this ceremony with Neji."

I blinked at his firm but kind eyes when I realized what he said. _He wants me, a clanless and underdressed hooligan, to perform with his nephew in his clan's ceremony?_ I smiled wide and bowed deeply to him and replied,

"I would be honored to, Lord Hiashi." I smiled as Neji's family continued to talk with me about my fighting techniques, and I replied politely with questions, trying to remember names and faces. The elders began to slowly disperse and leave the main hall, the time approaching the evening and everyone probably ready for dinner. Lord Hiashi addressed me once again.

"Would you care to join us for dinner, Lyra?" He asked, and I was once again struck with kindness.

"Yes, thank you," I replied, thankful and hungry. I followed the Hyugas into the large dining hall that was used for occasions, the elders already seated and sipping tea pleasantly. Neji and I followed Lord Hiashi near the head of the table, and I looked over at Neji's surprised look as he was invited to sit close to the head of the table. His eyes were widened, and his happiness was tinted with a slight hesitation as he cautiously watched the reactions of those around him as he timidly sat to the left of his uncle, the sight making me slightly angry. I got a hold on my anger quickly as the smell of miso soup wafted over to me from the kitchens, and I sat down next to Neji as the remaining Hyugas settled into their seats and started the drone of talking.

I looked at Neji's face again to see his eyes looking at me curiously, making my eyebrows rise in question. He looked away from me quickly and glanced over at Lord Hiashi watching us, making my confusion grow even more.

_I'm really not good with these social things. A part of me just wants to hide in the apartment and wait for Kakashi to return while reading some smut._

My introverted thinking was interrupted when I smelled food, and such good quality food too. I breathed in deeply and told myself I would eat with manners and not gobble everything up quickly like I felt like doing. I picked up the chopsticks already laid out on the table next to the plate and accepted Neji's offer of pouring me some tea. I lightly touched him on the shoulder in thanks and I immediately felt Lord Hiashi's eyes on me, making me slightly uncomfortable as I sipped the warm drink.

The food was brought out, and we all passed around the platters and shared the sauces, the people talking light talk over the pleasant assortment of food. The man who sat next to me inquired about the sensei who taught me such fine taijutsu, and I reluctantly told him about my young time in the Anbu. The mention of this brought a lot of attention to me from multiple people around the table, and I quickly and vaguely described my teachings and experiences from the years I spent under the mask.

I spoke with the woman across the table from me who offered to let me borrow her woman's hakama for the New Years ceremony, and I graciously accepted after thanking her multiple times.

The food was good and the talk was light until Lord Hiashi addressed me from the head of the table.

"Lyra, are you promised to a man?" He directly asked me, his face completely seriously, and it took me more than a few seconds to understand what he was asking.

_Promised to… like for marriage?_

_No, no way he would be asking me about that._

I looked over at Neji quickly to see if he would help me out, but I just found his face serious and his eyes widened with a slight blush forming on his cheeks as he stared at his chopsticks. Utterly confused, I looked to Hinata across the table to find her in a similar state.

Worried, I looked back to Hiashi to see him smiling slightly towards me, and I stuttered a response under his amused scrutiny.

"Um, no, Lord Hiashi?" I blinked at him as he nodded slightly and calmly went back to his food, dismissing the conversation as quickly as it had started and sending me to an even deeper pit of confusion. Neji still wouldn't look at me and neither would Hinata, so I just also focused on my food.

An elder near the middle of the table stood, holding a decorated, large bottle in his hand and walked over to Lord Hiashi.

"Hiashi, I have a fine brew of sake I have been saving, and I would like to give it to you in thanks of heading this New Years ceremony this year," the other lord said as he handed the bottle to Hiashi with a bow. Hiashi accepted with a nod and a thank you and opened the bottle, beginning to pour himself a drink. He poured Neji and Hinata a drink, and then he poured me a drink, the delicious, intoxicating liquid just a few inches from my hand…

_No. Drinking is the last thing I should be doing right now._

I looked up and was about to try and politely refuse when Hiashi spoke before me.

"Have some sake, Lyra, in celebration for the choosing of the festival to come." He offered, not leaving any room for rejection with his authoritative tone. I swallowed, not wanting to appear rude but not wanting to lose myself to alcohol, either.

I decided I would just take a sip when I felt his eyes on my again, just to not appear rude.

I slid my hand slowly around the smooth glass, the shimmering liquid looking so inviting after my prolonged time away from it. I brought it to my lips and took a tiny sip, my taste buds exploding as the strong taste washed down my throat, way too fast. I sighed, realizing the small cup would probably have no _real_ affect on me, so I took another sip, this one just as good if not better than the first. I drank the cup in no time, surprising myself with how fast I had downed the expensive sake and feeling slightly guilty for it.

I watched Lord Hiashi pour me another glass, this one slightly fuller, and I begged my body to reject it as my mouth told him thank you. My hand reached for it on its own accord, and my mind screamed at me as I drank another stinging mouthful, my body almost shivering in its want to feel buzzed.

"How old are you, Lyra?" The lord's voice asked me, and I looked over at him, my mind thinking quickly.

"I'm around 21 and 22, Lord Hiashi," I responded, and I watched him nod again, his eyes watching me interestedly. My body took another drink from the cup, and I realized I had finished all of that sake as well.

"That was wonderful sake, thank you," I said with a smile, and I laid my utensils down on my plate like everyone else after we had all finished our food. The maids were coming around and picking up the platters and our plates, and I thanked the one who took mine, electing another look from Hiashi. People were beginning to leave the table and return to their respective houses for the night.

"Would you like another?" He offered, holding up the bottle after pouring himself another glass. I stared at that bottle, that damned bottle that I knew held the most delicious drink taunting me. My mind said no as my head nodded yes, and I both hated myself and loved myself as he poured me another glass.

"Thank you, Lord Hiashi. Your family has been so kind to me lately, and I am so thankful," I told him as I smiled charmingly over at him, his eyebrows rising and my own surprise dulled as my hand guided the glass to my lips once again.

"It is no problem, Lyra. It has been our pleasure to meet you," he spoke for his clan, and I smiled in response. I felt Neji watch me from beside me, and I met his curious eyes with my half-smile. He said to me,

"Lyra, the ceremony will take place the day after the village's New Years celebration." He brought the conversation to the reason I was here in the first place. I nodded and smiled again, excited to fight him again in a ritual fight for his family. The table was empty except for Hiashi, Hinata, Neji and I.

"I enjoyed our fight today, Neji," I told him, the drink making my mind speak the truth. I watched his eyes soften and open up a bit, letting me see his happiness and his agreement, but also a slight vulnerability as he looked at me with a new expression.

"I enjoyed it as well." He said softly, making the statement sound more personal and serious than I had meant for it to be. I raised an eyebrow at him and finished off my drink as Lord Hiashi stood.

"Good night, you three." He told us, and we said our good nights to him politely as he left. Hinata also stood, but her face was angled down and her hands were clasped together.

"Good night Lyra chan, Neji niisan," she almost whispered before smiling slightly at me. She slipped out of the quiet room quickly, for some reason looking uncomfortable.

Was the situation uncomfortable?

I didn't know, and it was probably the alcohol's fault.

Neji stood up too beside me and he held out a hand to help me up, his face still in that weird expression. I accepted his hand and got myself up, feeling a buzz but not out of control.

_Good, this is good. I should be fine; I just need to make it home._

I frowned, my muggy mind still processing.

_Wait, not home, Kakashi's gone. I need to head to Sakura's._

I almost flinched when Neji pulled me out of the room, his fingers weaving in between mine and making my eyebrows rise. He brought us outside into an empty courtyard, the moon shining down on a little pond with koi fish in it and some small trees and plants surrounding the area, giving it a serene and private feel. I was busy admiring the stars when I felt him lead me over to a bench that was slightly covered from view. He sat down on it and he stared at the stars with a thoughtful expression, his face finally relaxed after being in the tense company of his judging family. I sat down next to him and stared at the stars too, reminding me of last night with my roommate. I slightly blushed when I remembered his warm arms encompassing me, holding me to his warm chest without me even having to ask for it. He always just knows what I'm feeling like, and I'm the same about him. His body expressions are second nature to me now, and we could probably have conversations with each other without muttering a word.

Then I remembered that I wouldn't be sleeping next to him tonight, and I felt something drill into my heart and something rotten enter my stomach. I knew he had a mission, I knew he had no choice, and I knew he would return tomorrow without a doubt.

_But that doesn't help how hopelessly _alone_ I feel right now._

I was brought out of my reverie when I felt Neji grab my hand, and I looked over at him, surprised. I could tell his face was blushing, even from the faint light of the moon, and he looked at me with those vulnerable eyes again as he spoke to me with a slight determination.

"Lyra, I've never met anyone so powerful, or as beautiful as you." He paused as he breathed, and I stared at him, not knowing what was going on.

_Huh?_

"I've never felt so connected to anyone before when fighting." He watched me, his eyes wide but his expression slightly hardened, and I recognized this expression. He looked like this whenever he was afraid.

"You are such a strong person, both in fighting and in spirit. You are strong but you are also kind, always healing my eyes and looking so happy after you do it."

I blinked at him, not fully understanding what he was saying but surprised he was speaking so much at one time. _Is this what happens to people when they look up at the stars?_ His words had reminded me of his eyes, so I unconsciously brought my hand that wasn't being held by him and brought it to his forehead, my touch making him slightly flinch. I felt his eyes and quickly healed whatever strain he had and I slid my hand down when I finished.

I froze, however, when I saw his face.

His expression, his eyes, they were looking at me with such care and kindness it reminded me of Kakashi. His hand gently squeezed mine and his head leaned over to rest on my outstretched hand, his motions and his expression clearing some of my confusion and making me blush as well. His cheek reminded me of how I hold my roommate's face sometimes, except he always had a mask on. Thinking of him and his eye crinkle just sent my stomach to hurt from loneliness again when I remembered he wouldn't be there to sleep next to.

Neji's other hand came up slowly and rested on my cheek, his skin soft against mine and my eyes widening at his affections.

"I care about you a lot, Lyra. I think about you every day." He whispered as his thumb rubbed my cheek and then his hand slowly slid down to my neck, making me shiver. I watched his eyes light up from my reaction, and he continued in his soft voice.

"My family likes you too. I'd love to be by your side for the rest of my life."

I blinked as he leaned closer to me, his fingers caressing the nape of my neck. His eyes looked intimately into mine; reminding me of the deep connection I feel every time I look into my roommate's eye. _He's gone tonight._ I felt a wave of loneliness overcome me, constricting my lungs with sadness.

I flinched as Neji brought his lips to mine, kissing me with a passion I didn't know he had.

My mind reeled as I felt his hand run up my arm, causing my body to shiver again.

_What is happening?_

_Why is Neji kissing me?_

Neji tilted my head with his, deepening the kiss and finally waking me up to realize the situation in my confused state of mind.

_He's… Oh my God._

I brought a hand up to rest on his cheek, intending to pull away from him when my drunken mind reasoned against it.

_I'm alone right now. _

_Kakashi is gone tonight, and I am alone._

A few horror memories flashed through my mind, reminding me of the price I have to pay when I am alone.

_Neji is offering me his care and affections._

_I won't be alone if I'm with him._

My body siding with my drunken reasoning, I tested the theory by kissing him back and letting his tongue enter my mouth. I felt his arms tighten around me, the feeling a poor imitation to the security I feel when my roommate holds me.

_My roommate isn't here._

I lightly placed my hands on either side of his face, holding him softly like I could imagine holding Kakashi.

_Kakashi is gone tonight._

I let my own tongue explore his mouth as he pressed me against him, his need a visible thing that wiped away my loneliness and fear and turned off my mind to just enjoy what he was doing to me. My body put some passion forward, my lips pleasuring his and my hands caressing his face as his slid down to my waist, leaving behind shivers in the cool night. My hand slid down his neck to feel the exposed skin of his chest peeking out of his shirt, and his hands made their way to slip under my shirt, his fingers caressing my back and continuously pulling me towards him in a show of desire. His desire numbed the pain I was feeling from being alone, and my body gave in to his temporary relief of human contact of the most basic form.

I felt him pull away slightly to fit one of his arms under my legs and he lifted me up from the bench, his pale eyes shining with happiness and passion in the light of the moon. He carried me into the quiet house and into his room, the window open and letting in the comfortable rays of twilight. He set me down on the bed and wasted no time as he kissed me again, his lips asking me for love and mine giving it, hoping to forget about my fear of being alone. I ran on my instincts, my body just doing what it felt like at the moment and my mind relinquishing any control it had to the pleasurable touch. I wrapped my arms around his neck, feeling his soft hair, and I twisted us so I lay on top of him in the bed. I kissed his lips with my own body's needs, and I felt him sigh in content as his arms felt my back. His hands slowly rolled my shirt off of me, the movement so careful and respectful I felt a shiver go down my spine. His kind hands touched my body softly as his lips whispered my name in the moonlight. I loosened his headband, the headband that covered the branch family's mark, which I had seen a few times before when Neji had shown me. This was extremely sensitive to him, so I replicated his kind and gentle touch and I kissed the center of his forehead, pulling back to see his vulnerable eyes smile at me.

_Make me forget, Neji._

I kissed him, my body sort of unused to this gentle touch. All of my times before had been with rough men, their grips punishing but their animalistic need so invigorating. But this one, this one was holding me with care, his touch soft and patient while also showing me his passion through caressing me as if I were delicate. The feeling was so alien; my body invited it and used it to distract my mind from what was bothering me deep inside.

_I miss my roommate._

* * *

I blinked my eyes open, seeing a stranger's ceiling.

_Huh?_

I blinked some more and felt my head complain with a slight headache, and I brought a glowing hand up to heal myself before I tried to remember what happened. The sun was slightly shining into the room, the faint light meaning it was dawn.

I frowned when I felt a weight on my stomach, and with a jolt I realized I was naked.

And there was an arm holding me.

My head snapped to the side to see a sleeping Neji right next to me, his forehead bare of his headband and his face so peaceful I refrained from screaming like I felt doing.

_What the hell?_

I blinked as memories came flying into my mind, and my eyes widened.

_Holy shit… what have I done?_

I watched his peace-filled face sigh, his expression so lacking of any tension I felt my already existing guilt double until it hurt and I felt my chest would explode.

_I fucked up. I fucked up._

_I fucked up so badly…_

I remembered his confessions last night, how he had looked at me in that moonlight… I shut my eyes to keep from letting tears fall. I remembered how he had kissed me and I had kissed him back, my influenced mind selfishly giving in to the desires of the body and completely disregarding the feelings of my friend.

And then another thing hit me, why last night had been so awkward with his uncle and why Neji had said something to me…

_Hiashi had meant… marriage…_

I couldn't keep lying still or I felt I would literally explode. I slid his arm off of me gently and I stood up from the bed, feeling completely vulnerable as I quickly searched for my clothes. I finished tugging my shirt on when I heard him shift in the bed, and my eyes snapped to his, my eyes failing in keeping my frustrated tears in. He looked back at me, first in complete bliss, and then, seeing my expression, his brows came together and he tried to piece together my reaction.

I let my head fall in my hands and I sobbed out in a whisper,

"Neji, I am so sorry…"

I couldn't look at him, I couldn't see the pain I had caused this friend with my recklessness. My selfishness. I felt my tears slowly leak out of my eyes and slip through my fingers to fall on my legs, and I bowed my head even more in shame. I continued to mumble through my hands.

"I… I have a drinking problem. I…" I felt more tears silently leak from my shut eyes. "I act extremely irresponsibly when I drink alcohol…" I wiped my eyes but continued to stare at my legs, completely ashamed of myself to meet his eyes. "But that is no excuse for my actions, and I am so sorry, Neji…"

I clutched my heart, the heart I had broken myself with my irresponsibility. I felt it pump, every time in pain as I thought of Neji's trust I had abused, his feelings I had abused…

Neji didn't speak, and I accepted this as punishment for my mistakes, feeling the full pain on my heart and knowing I deserved all of it.

I couldn't keep the tears from falling on my cheeks, and I gave up wiping them away as I slightly shook in pain and anger at myself. I kept trying to muster the courage to look up at him, but I couldn't.

I was too ashamed of myself.

I almost jumped off of the bed when I felt his hand touch mine, and I involuntarily looked up to meet his eyes, his expression.

He looked at me, his face serious but relaxed. But his eyes, his eyes had a hardened shell on them, guarding against any feeling or emotion. After I searched deep within his eyes, I found an immense sadness, but also a small bit of understanding. His understanding had been what had made him touch my hand, and I was at a complete loss of what to do.

I tried again for the twentieth time to stop my eyes from streaming tears, and I felt his hand reach up to gently brush away the tears on both of my cheeks. I looked down in shame, not believing I deserved his kind touch.

He continued to stay silent, not saying anything, but he didn't need to. His hardened eyes saying I hurt him, his soft thumb on my cheek saying he forgave me. My tears telling him I regretted nothing more.

He sat up in the bed, the blankets pooling around his waist and his bare chest pale in the rising sun. He spoke quietly.

"I would still like to spar with you, if you would like to as well." He said, and I felt my eyes widen, again not believing he was being this kind. I wanted to hug him but I refrained from doing so, in my mind losing my right to do anything to him unless he wanted it anymore. I simply smiled at him and nodded, his thumb wiping my cheeks one last time as I looked away for him to dress. I stood up and strapped on my bags and walked over to his window to see the wall to the Hyuga compound not too far away for me to slip through.

I felt his hand touch my shoulder and I resisted the urge to flinch, instead bowing my head and waiting for his words.

"Perhaps you can come by in a week or so and we can prepare for the festival." He said softly, and I nodded, understanding a week was a good amount of time for us to be apart.

_I still can't believe what I did…_

_And I still can't believe he isn't outright angry with me._

I glanced around to look at his face, his expression hardened but his eyes looking back at me with a slight sadness. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply, making my self anger boil up once again. I said quietly,

"I'll see you in around a week, Neji." I looked at him once more when his eyes opened, and I jumped onto the windowsill. I looked around at him once again and let my pain show. "I am so sorry…" I whispered, and I saw his eyes close and his head nod before I slipped out and disappeared into the village.

_What have I done?_

* * *

**Kakashi**

Kakashi walked into the apartment, his heart soaring when he felt her chakra in the kitchen. His arm was slightly sore from the fight he had with an enemy ninja, and he wondered what kind of expression he would see from his roommate when she found out. He had barely slept last night; he had made his way home quickly through the night, eager to return after a successful mission.

He took his shoes off as he took his pack from his shoulder and set it on the ground, his stomach rumbling. He looked around for a mass of orange and he found it next to the table. His eyebrows rose as he realized she was sitting at the table with her head in her arms and her shoulders slumped, looking defeated. The sight was extremely unusual.

He watched her notice his presence, her slowness making Kakashi even more confused as she looked around to see him.

Her cheeks were stained with tears, her eyes full of sadness. Her expression immediately changed as she met his eyes, her face relaxing and her lips forming a small smile. She got up from the table and walked towards him, her eyes lightly trailing along his body; probably looking for injuries. Kakashi was busy trying to read his roommate's strange mood when a smell hit him harder than any punch could.

Kakashi flinched and actually took a step back when the smell of another person, another _man_, wafted over to him from his roommate and attacked his sensitive nose.

_Lyra smells like…_

She noticed his reaction and her tired face took on a look of confusion, her approach halted as she looked at him. Kakashi felt his nose be assailed by the foreign male scent, so strong and passionate that it made him widen his eyes.

_She's been with a man._

"Kakashi? Are you alright?" She asked him softly, the fire in her eyes dimmed and her self confidence gone.

_What happened?_

"Did your mission go well?" She inquired, and Kakashi nodded, not trusting his voice as a swirl of thoughts abused his mind.

_The male scent on her is fresh._

He blinked at her.

"Lyra, what happened?" He asked directly, needing to address her wet cheeks and her defeated look.

_Did someone abuse her? _

He watched her close her eyes and she bowed her head, her shoulders slumping even more and her hands coming together to wring themselves. She breathed in deeply, her sadness and frustration showing through her sigh.

"I… I fucked up last night." She stared at the floor, her brows coming together and her hands clenching into fists. "I fucked up so bad, Kakashi…"

He watched her, this woman who usually emitted power and stability now emitting sadness and regret. He waited for her continue.

"I… The Hyugas offered me alcohol last night, and I…" she put a hand out to lean on the counter, her expression in a frustrated frown. She breathed in to try to continue, but the sight was painful for even Kakashi to watch. He got the general idea from the mention of alcohol and Hyugas, plus the male scent he now identified as Gai's old Hyuga student. He walked over to his defeated roommate, trying not to let his face show how repulsive the smell of another man was on her, and he lightly rested a hand on her cheek to wipe away her tears.

Her already pained expression intensified at his kindness, making him completely understand what she was feeling. Meanwhile, his mind tormented him with a thousand thoughts, all at once.

_This should be normal. Lyra is a grown woman who is allowed to have relationships with other men. This should be normal._

_But what about our nights? Did they mean nothing to her?_

_Wait; they shouldn't matter to me. I am only her roommate. Nothing more. Those nights didn't mean anything; we were drunk._

_But does she not feel the connection I feel towards her? _

He flinched when she almost collapsed into him, her head burying itself in his chest. He felt her lightly shake in his arms, and he fully realized how guilty she felt for her actions.

_She wasn't this upset after our night._

He ran his fingers through her hair, lightly taking out some tangles and massaging her head as he scowled at himself and his immature thoughts.

_Lyra and I were both drunk. Perhaps he wasn't._

He led her over to the couch and helped her sit down next to him, her head bowed in shame and her shoulders still shaking.

_I've never seen her this upset before._

"I am so sorry, Kakashi. Here you just came home from your mission and I am laying all of my fuck ups on you when you are probably exhausted." She looked up at him from her spot under his arm. She wiped her eyes with finality, the silver beginning to show its shine again but her expression still pained. He shook his head once, letting her know it was all alright. He couldn't help but wrinkle his nose at the smell coming from his roommate, the foreign male scent unnerving and slightly aggravating. It made him feel almost possessive, like he wanted to wash away that scent immediately and replace it with a better one that suited her.

_Like my scent._

He blinked at his own thought as she breathed in deeply and gathered her wits, resuming to her original strength and durability. She smiled at him, her beautiful smile crooked on the side but her eyes relaying her care and appreciation for him. The sight made him smile back at her, his eyes softening and his hand squeezing her shoulder.

She stood up and walked over to the kitchen to check the oven. Kakashi peeked over there, all hopes causing him to widen his eyes and breathe in deeply to try and catch the smell of her inhuman, heavenly muffins. He only succeeded in smelling that damned male scent once again, sending his mood to a darker and more aggressive one.

_She doesn't smell right with that scent on her._

He watched her move with keen eyes, her every movement full of grace. She bent down to check inside the oven, her lean leg muscles tightening in a stretch and her hair tumbling over her shoulders. He loved the way she moved, her limbs always full of agility and elegance. Her movements were lithe like a cat, her intelligent eyes peering over at him questioningly when she sensed him watching her.

_No, she doesn't smell right like that at all._

Not knowing what he was doing, he stood up and walked over to her, causing her to raise her eyebrows. He stopped in front of her and grasped her hand boldly, weaving his fingers through her small ones and holding them tightly. He pulled her towards the bedroom without saying a word, and led her into the bathroom. He opened the door and pulled her inside, the air a bit humid and warm.

"Kakashi?" she asked uncertainly, but her hand held his tightly as well. He reached into the shower and turned on the water, turning it hot like he knew his roommate liked it. He turned towards her and looked down into her questioning, strong gaze, his obsidian eye meeting her silver ones. He didn't know what he was doing, and he looked into her knowing eyes to read her surprised reaction from him for a clue.

"You need to shower." He stated softly, his nose wrinkling on its own accord.

_She needs to smell like her old self again. _

He watched her blink at him and question him with her eyes, and he struggled to find a better answer than the one he actually had.

_I can't stand his scent on you._

"It will make you feel better." He told her, and she nodded at him and looked over to the running water slowly turning hot.

"The muffins will be ready in about ten minutes. Save some for me," she said to him, her eyes smiling at him when she saw his eye widen in anticipation for her wondrous baking. She began to untie her belts from around her slim waist, and Kakashi focused on something else. Anything else.

_Muffins._

"What type did you make?" He asked her, and he watched her half-smile in his direction as she began to roll her shirt up her waist, revealing her toned stomach. Kakashi swallowed.

"You'll have to find out," she said as she turned around and slipped her shirt off, disposing it in the laundry basket they kept next to the sink. He focused on her words and attempted to retain his composure by sticking his hands nonchalantly into his pockets.

"No hint?" He watched her thumbs slip in between her pants and her skin and loosen the waistline around her wide hips, her face looking behind her shoulder at her lingering roommate. She met his eye and raised her eyebrows at him, her half-smile forming as she slipped the remaining of her clothes off of her body, her cheeks slightly blushing but her silver flames watching Kakashi closer than she does in a fight.

He kept his eye focused on hers, his will keeping intact through sheer determination. He wanted nothing more than to let his vision run down her perfect image, but he remembered he was the one lingering when he could have left a minute ago.

Lyra turned towards him and bopped his nose lightly with a single slim finger, her crooked smile up and her amused eyes laughing.

"I made your favorite ones, of course." She grinned at him and turned to step into the shower, but was stopped when Kakashi reached out to grab her wrist.

_What am I doing?_

_What do I want to say to her?_

_What do I want to _do_ to her?_

They blinked at each other as Kakashi struggled with his thoughts. He was about to completely abandon his reason and go with his instincts, taking what he wanted, or rather whom he wanted. He had never felt his desire burn so passionately in his stomach before, his hands itching to caress and feel her and his heart aching to be loved in return. And then the male scent wafted over him once again and brought his thoughts out from under the suffocating wave of desire and pleasure and forced his mind to remember the facts of reality. That the woman he was holding was his roommate who wanted nothing more from him than his friendship. And that this woman had just recently been with another man.

_Muffins._

"Thank you for the muffins, Lyra." He said to her quietly, and he let go of her soft skin as she nodded towards him and retreated to the cover of the shower curtain, her silver flames lingering on him with a brighter fire than before. Kakashi forced himself to turn around and walk out of the bathroom with complete ease and calmness, his internal chaos completely buried under his practiced composure and his thoughts hidden from the world.

Or so he thought.

* * *

**I know, I had to have her fuck up though. Needed some tension!**

**Thank you for letting me know what you think, I really do appreciate any feedback you can give me.**

**I would love any suggestions or helpful criticism because I want to write better.**

**Thank you again for reading :).**


	8. Rain

**This one's shorter. I put in another flashback, those are always fun (but sad) to write :).**

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

**Lyra**

_This rain is so cold._

I thought as I dodged two shuriken. The heavens were absolutely sobbing; buckets and buckets of water were being dumped on our heads and our bare shoulders in the clearing where my roommate and I train. My clothes were soaked through, making the tight clothing feel even tighter as they stuck to my body, and I felt my shoes make a small _squish_ every time I stepped down or landed a kick. My hair, my _mane, _was dripping down my back and down my neck, the strands that had escaped from my bun forming a river of coldness to stream down my spine, causing me to shiver again. The rain was so thick that the sight of my training partner, only about five or so meters away from me, seemed cloudy and obscure from the wall of water in between us.

I threw a kunai, aiming for his chest, my arms adjusting to the slight drop in trajectory from the extreme downward force of the endless pouring all around us. I sensed another shuriken approach me, but it wasn't going as fast as I knew he could throw it, and I easily sidestepped the weak attack.

Not like I could give him a look about it right now; I couldn't even make out his facial expression under this intense rain.

_Perhaps he is just being cautious because of this rain. Our training could get dangerous real quick._

I sighed as I realized he was probably right; that we couldn't really get any work done in these conditions. I blinked some more water out of my eyes and I shook my hands out to get more blood to flow through them, trying to warm them up from this chilly rain. The vertical river was coming down in waves, disallowing me to try and train with this new environment obstacle because it wasn't constant. The rain would randomly get heavier, the weight pushing on my shoulders and questioning my sanity for willingly being out here.

I relaxed my stance and folded my arms across my chest tightly, trying to trap some warmth into my shivering chest as I slowly walked towards my partner through the waves.

_It was my dumb idea to come out here in the first place. Nice call, Lyra._

I had thought that training in the rain would help us get used to the change in the environment should we ever be faced with a real fight in the rain. It really shouldn't change much in our fighting, but the tiny differences in how slippery the metal is in our hands when we throw kunai or shuriken or how the mud slides ever so slightly when you land from a kick can affect who lives and dies. And so, I had suggested that we train in the rain to better prepare ourselves should we ever be stuck in a situation like this, in this pouring rain in real battle.

I watched Kakashi relax his stance also and make his way through the rain towards me, his messy hair even messier in the roaring rain.

_I should speak for myself; it will be a miracle if I can untangle my own mess._

The roar was loud in my ears, blocking out all other sounds and making me almost shout to get my roommate to hear me.

"Hey, I think we should head back. All I have achieved is gaining hypothermia," I loudly joked over to him, and I watched his shoulders shake in a slight chuckle in response as he nodded in agreement. "I can make some hot chocolate," I added, and I watched a smile form under his mask. I reached down into my bags and pulled out two large rain coats for us. I handed one over to him, and we both slipped on the warm material over our soaking bodies. We lifted our hoods and I smiled as the seemingly unceasing pounding of water on my body ended. We headed back to the village, our shoes disrupting the fresh mud and the surrounding trees creaking under the force of the weather.

I stuck my key into the lock and prayed to whatever Gods existed that the damn thing would cooperate, but to no avail. I jingled the thing a bit and sighed as I felt guilt enter my system from making my roommate wait even longer outside in the rain. I flinched when I felt his arms reach around me to grab hold of the lock, his fingers lightly removing mine and taking over. I focused on a chip on the door at my eye level as I struggled to keep the heat from entering my stomach at how close his chest was up against my back, how his muscles shifted in his arms as he grabbed the key. How I felt his slight breath above me, his body emitting a wonderful and inviting warmth that I wanted to burrow myself in and not let go for hours. I cursed inwardly when I failed at that, too.

_Damn it. _

Kakashi calmly and patiently twisted the metal into the mechanisms, and I inhaled as he leaned even further into me to push the door inwards.

_Damn it, Lyra._

_Heart, slow down._

I mumbled a 'thanks' and I tripped inside, the sudden lack of pounding rain causing the normal silence in the apartment to seem even more silent. I slipped the soaking shoes off and set them up to dry, taking off my dripping coat to hang near the door. I shivered as the air hit my wet body, and I felt a warm hand lightly touch my bare lower back, making me flinch.

I looked over at my roommate's raised eyebrows, and I shivered from the coldness, and from the warm touch. I watched his eye watch me back, his expression the same unreadable one it has been for the last few days. His eye held a certain hardness, but it wasn't like anything I had seen from him before. His expression still softened when he smiled at me, but his eye was left untouched by the happiness. His bored expression still held that amused glint it had, his eye focused on something. But that something wasn't what he was _seeing_, wasn't what he was thinking about.

My roommate had something on his mind.

I thought quickly and pointed over to the kitchen.

"I'll get the hot cocoa started; you go ahead and shower first." I told him as I looked away and slowly moved away from his touch, his fingers leaving a lingering warmth that spread throughout my body until it reached my toes.

"You're shivering, Lyra. You should go warm up," he responded in his mellow care-free tone, and I looked back at him to see his eye show me care for me and my health, which made me smile. His eye was also holding something else, something that caused it to close up from the world in an attempt to hide his thoughts, which made my smile diminish and my brows to come together.

_What is bothering him so much?_

I then remembered the bird's nest of wet hair I had going on the top of my head that needed immediate attention. I also felt guilty making him stay in the wet clothing any longer since I was the one to bring us out into the rain to begin with. I smiled at him and brought a hand up to my hair.

"Thanks, I should be fine though. I also need to try to untangle this mess before I do anything," I told him, attempting to run my fingers through my hair to quickly stop short from meeting the first of the knots. I watched my roommate watch me for a few seconds, his expression still unreadable to me, making me feel less comfortable than I usually do around him.

_Something is really bothering him. I will ask him about it after we get warmed up and dried off._

Kakashi sighed slightly and nodded his head once, his hands reaching up to untie his headband from his forehead.

"I'll be quick." He said over his shoulder as he walked towards the bedroom after lightly touching my shoulder, causing that area of my body to heat up as well. I 'Hm'ed back at him, letting him know it was alright. I saw him walk through the kitchen, his bare back slightly tensed and his shoulders raised a centimeter compared to his relaxed stature.

_What is wrong, Kakashi?_

I frowned as he went to undress, my roommate's strange behavior making me review everything from the last few days.

_I did just recently royally fuck up._ I thought of my night at the Hyugas, and the familiar pang of guilt crept into my stomach.

_But why would that affect Kakashi?_

My eyes widened when I thought of a possibility as I got the chocolate down from the cabinet.

_Could he be… disgusted with me?_

_I know _I'm_ disgusted with me._

I prepared the hot chocolate, the heat warming my hands and the smell of chocolate calming my nerves as I denied the thought.

_I don't think he's disgusted by my actions, even though they were disgusting. _My face fell when I thought of Neji, of his happy expression and then his pain filled one when he realized I was dishonest with my actions.

_Kakashi could be upset about something other than me, as well._ I stirred the hot chocolate and reached up for two cups. I glared at the cup in my hand when I realized that the small part of my back and my shoulder, where he had just lightly touched me, still felt warm. And pleasant. The muscles around my heart felt sort of clenched, but at the same time it felt nice, like those little spots that he had touched were sending warmth throughout my body.

_Why does just his touch send my body to feel such unusual things?_

I glared at the cup again, confused about my roommate and confused about myself.

_I wish I could just have the simple feelings you have for a friend for him, and not all of this extra stuff that lights up my stomach and sends shivers down my spine._

I abruptly stopped pouring the hot chocolate, my eyes widening when I realized something.

…_I actually _don't_ wish that…_

I leaned against the counter and closed my eyes.

_I actually like my unique friendship with him, and I almost feel like I want _more_ of it._

…_But that's absurd._

_I wonder what he feels like around me. Does he also have this strange series of reactions when I am around?_

I chuckled and shook my head at the thought, dismissing it.

_Kakashi is a very logical and reasonable shinobi; he wouldn't be affected like that._

_Like I am._

I sighed and I set the two steaming hot cups out to cool. My clothes and my hair were still wet, but had stopped dripping. I walked over to the bedroom, my bare feet lightly padding over the soft carpet. I found a comb on the dresser and I stared at the thing, a determined expression on my face.

"Alright, comb. We are going to untangle my hair, whether we like it or not." I reached up and stuck my fingers through my messy bun, trying to find the band that was holding the knotted mess together. Finding it, I tried to wrestle it out of its tangled confinement, twisting it and tugging it this way and that to try and release it from my mane. Finally loosening it, I slipped it off of my hair, letting the wavy and curly nest fall onto my back.

_What a mess._

Glaring, I stuck the comb about halfway down my length and tied to pull it through, just to find it stuck in a knot. I yanked the comb out and tried again lower in my hair, just to find another damned knot.

I wrangled with my mane and my comb, my scalp feeling the pain and my frustration growing with each passing second. I was so caught up, I didn't sense my roommate approach me from behind.

Completely fed up with the damned comb and my damned hair, I gripped the piece of plastic and hurled it towards the wall, making it clash against the plaster with a _smack_, while I complained with a loud, '_FUCK.'_

I gasped audibly when I felt his warm hands grasp my shoulders from behind, my body automatically flinching from the contact.

From those comfortable, inviting warm hands.

I looked around my shoulder to see my roommate's masked face holding an amused expression, probably laughing at my frustrated display. I glared and tried to defend myself.

"Kakashi I'm so fucking _done_ with my hair, I am this close to chopping it all off." I looked around the room, searching for a kunai. "I need a blade." I huffed and looked wildly around the room, my frustration causing me to act irrationally.

I heard my roommate chuckle behind me, and I was about to ask him what was so funny when I felt his hands lightly tighten around my shoulders and he led me over to the bed, his hidden face slightly smiling. My eyebrows raised, my roommate sat me down and he sat behind me, his hands procuring a comb.

"Patience, Lyra." He said lightly to me, his mellow voice relaxing my angry nerves and his gentle hands leaving my shoulders to grab a hold on my monstrous mane. I felt him settle in a sitting position right behind me, his legs touching my lower back. I felt his comb enter my mane and lightly tug on it, somehow making the knots disappear after a while of consistent light tugging. His hands would run through my hair slowly, the patient combing relaxing my scalp and settling down my excited nerves.

His fingers would lightly brush my neck, my shoulders, my back and my waist, leaving little shivers in their wake as he methodically ran the comb through my hair and rid it of its knots. I looked over my shoulder to see my roommate sitting there, behind me, in nothing but a towel and his mask, and I smiled at him.

"Thanks," I said softly, and his eyes closed and he smiled back and nodded, his hands never ceasing in their combing. I relaxed then, closing my own eyes and enjoying the comfortable feeling of someone else caressing your hair with gentle hands, an art I had never been able to perfect. After a while, my hair was completely rid of the knots and was now laying down my back, the strands softer now and my head feeling lighter.

Not knowing what I was doing, I leaned back onto my roommate's chest, my head and back meeting the hard wall of muscle as my eyes closed, my smile up at how relaxed I felt after my roommate's sweet brushing. I rested against him, and I felt a hand timidly touch my arm, the fingers cautious. His other hand rested along my bare waist, and I involuntarily shivered from his gentle touch. I opened my eyes to look up at my roommate, and I found both of his eyes wide, looking back into mine. I saw something extremely unusual in his widened expression. I saw a vulnerability, a soft and innocent curiousness as he watched me with the same care. I recognized his expression, because it was the same one coming from my own face.

I blinked at him and in an instance, his eyes hardened into their old unreadable expression, his face closing up and ending our ability to communicate to each other with our expressed thoughts. That was the best thing we had in our friendship; our ability to just get each other by making eye contact. We know each other so well that I can tell what he is thinking or feeling by watching his expression, and he too can tell him what I am thinking or feeling just by looking at him a certain way. I felt him take this away, our connection, and I suddenly felt alone. I felt like our connection was severed, the deep sense of friendship I felt for him and the deep sense of whatever else I felt for him being tucked away somewhere by his guarded expression, and the feeling of being completely alone with my own thoughts and emotions came leaking into my heart, the cold and painful feeling bringing up an old memory that I had kept hidden for years.

_I sat on a cold stone floor, my arms chained behind me and my ankles shackled to the wall opposite from me. My wrists were bleeding from my constant resistance to get them out of the cold, sharp metal, my blood dripping down into my fingers and making the floor behind me wet with my blood. I leaned my head back against the stone wall, wincing as the bruised back of my head flamed in pain from the contact. Every single spot on my body hurt, every inch pounding along with my racing heart, so much so I lost track of whether I was hungry or not, and whether I was cold or hot. I was sitting there completely naked, my torn clothing strewn across the floor where he had thrown them in haste._

_One of the men, the one who liked to tighten my chains and hang me like a broken doll from the ceiling while he abused me, had just left my cell, after throwing a soggy piece of bread at me as I cowered on the floor from pain. I was busy trying to recover from the suffocating agony that came with being strung up from the ceiling like an animal. I was bleeding consistently from my lower woman parts, and I knew it wasn't from a monthly menstruation but rather from the violent rape, but the cold was numbing the throbbing pain so that it only hurt as much as the rest of my body did._

_Which still hurt a lot._

_I had been trying to eat less and less of the food they gave me, thinking it was there that they fed me the drugs that stopped my ability to mold my chakra. However, the food they gave me was sparse anyways, so trying to eat less of the food was essentially starving myself. My hunger was just another pain that had added on to my already existing ones._

_I looked up at the tiny window near the ceiling in my cell, the metal bars blocking some of the beautiful stars that shone through the night and brightened the darkness with their twinkling dancing. I sighed as I focused on their sparks of light, falling back into my new habit and growing skill of thinking about something other than my pain to try and ignore it. I tried to remember what it felt like to not be in pain, or to not be hungry. What did it feel like to have a warm blanket cover you, what did it feel like to ride through the air with one of the dragons back home? _

_I felt a tear run down my cheek as I thought of my friends, my comrades back home. Why had I decided to take a trip around the mainland by myself? Why did I think it was a good idea to explore the villages of my own people while taking a break from my training back at the island where I felt safe with my newly acquired family? _

_I flinched when I heard the lock being jangled to my cell, and my wide eyes shot over to the barred door in surprise and in fear. One of them had _just_ finished with me, not half an hour ago, and they are already sending in _another_ to torture me?!_

_I felt my heart begin to beat faster in fearful anticipation, my hands clenching as I strained my eyes to see which one of them had come to send me to hell. There was no pattern to their arrivals, they each came and took what they wanted when they wanted, each throwing a piece of dirty food as they left after zipping their pants and snarling their evil grins at me. I knew of five of them so far, and I didn't know any of their names or their origins or their relationships to each other._

_I only knew how they liked to use my body, how they each liked to inflict pain differently as they raped and tortured me._

_There was one of them, however, that was not like the rest. He was the only one who talked to me like another human being, who would refer to me using my name. He never hurt me nor touched me; he actually came in to heal me. He would heal the more severe wounds that the other men would give me, and he would give me warm food that tasted good. I actually knew his name; it was Haru. Haru came in once every few weeks to heal me with his medical ninjutsu and feed me real food, and I suspected the other men held him as prisoner as well to keep their prey, me, alive._

_I would talk to Haru when he came, and he always talked to me back like I was an equal. We would talk about our previous lives before this slavery, and it was these very brief but wonderful moments that had kept me sane inside of this hell hole._

_I tried to sit up in my painful sitting position to better see who had come to my cell, but I slipped on the blood soaked stone floor and returned to my weakened bent over position near the wall. I heard the cell door being quietly opened, and I held my breath as my heart raced even faster in fear._

"_Lanyra-chan?" I heard a soft whisper, and I nearly collapsed on the floor from extreme relief at the sound of Haru's voice._

"_Haru-kun…" I responded, my smile forming and my eyes beginning to leak tears of relief. I only ever openly cried in front of Haru; I would never give the devil men the satisfaction._

_I watched the silhouette figure of my friend enter the cell slowly and approach me with care, his caution and respect always making my small smile widen. I looked up into his kind green eyes, and he smiled down at me back, his eyes asking me how I was and mine responding with the same response; 'I'm in pain, but I'm glad you're here.'_

_He crouched down next to me and smiled at me, his hands reaching over to gently touch the back of my head with his glowing blue hands. I relaxed against his healing, feeling the sweet chakra soothe my constant pain and allow my lungs to loosen from pain's hold. I opened my eyes to see his eyes widened and startled, and I remembered that the last man who had tortured me had ripped off all of my clothing this time, leaving me completely exposed. I watched Haru's eyes close and the familiar expression of pain and care form on his face from the sight of my blood covered body._

"_What hurts the most, Lanyra-chan?" he asked softly, and I quickly assessed my body. I felt a blush form on my face from my answer, and I told him the part of my body that hurt second to worst._

"_The choking man badly bruised my neck yesterday," I responded, and I looked away quickly as my friend read my eyes. I felt his hand lightly caress my cheek as his caring eyes bore into mine._

"_I will heal your neck. But I can tell something else pains you more." I slightly smiled at the connection we had and how he could almost tell what I was feeling, but I blushed when I felt the throbbing pain come from my lower woman parts. _

"_I want to help you, Lanyra-chan. Please tell me so I can heal your pain," he said as he lightly placed a hand on my neck and filled it with healing chakra. I looked down with my blush and crossed my legs more, feeling the level of comfort I had with this friend but still embarrassed at how exposed I was under his eyes. I watched his eyes trail down my body and look where I was looking, and his expression hardened into something full of anger. But also full of something else, something I had never seen before._

_His eyes seemed to take on a certain light, a glint of some unknown emotion coming from his green eyes as he looked back at me. Uncertain, I started conversation._

"_Have any of the men harmed you, Haru-kun?" I asked, pulling his attention. He looked at me with his unreadable expression, and for the first time with him, after the countless months we had suffered in this place together, I felt a sort of uncomfortable feeling under his intense gaze as he thought about my question._

"_No." His reply was curt, much unlike his usual manner. I watched him, my brows coming together as I wondered at my friend as he continued talking, his tone curious._

"_Do you know why the men torture you?" He asked without looking at me, his hardened eyes fixed on healing my neck. I swallowed at the direct and almost unfeeling question, the extreme change in tone and character in my friend unsettling me and sending my caution to high alert. _

_What is he asking?_

_What does he mean?_

_He finished healing my neck, and his intense eyes rose up to meet my questioning ones. I recoiled from him when I saw his expression change from his usual kind and understanding one to a completely different one. His eyes glinted with a certain insanity, and his smile formed into an evil grin. I couldn't breathe._

_What is happening?_

_What is _happening_?_

_What the hell just happened to Haru?_

"_They torture you because it's _fun_, Lanyra-chan." I stared into his eyes, not believing my friend had just so drastically changed within a minute. He continued in his laughing malice._

"_Some men like to torture you by choking you, or by chaining you to the wall. Some like to drip hot wax on you and see your skin burn away as they take you from behind, some like to beat you and see beautiful bruises form on your body. Some like to whip you with their belts like an animal before they rape you like one, some like to cut you with their nails as they grip your hips to invade your body and violate your sweet innocence." _

_I felt tears leak down my cheeks as the one man I thought was my friend threw all of this in my face, his expression only gaining more sick joy after each example of my torture._

"_But some men like a more _subtle_ way of torture, one that takes time and patience," he continued, his wicked eyes trailing down my body as his hand also trailed down my bloody and abused skin. I shivered and recoiled as his once gentle and kind fingers turned hard and rough, the tips of them sliding down a bloody trail down my stomach and even lower to my sensitive, bleeding and pained opening. I struggled to get my hands out of the handcuffs behind my back, the metal cutting deeper into my wrists as I struggled away from his hands. My heart was beating faster than ever before, my body and mind rejecting all feelings they were receiving. I heard some other men approach my cell and they looked in on us, their own evil eyes knowing what was happening and laughing as they watched. Haru's green eyes locked onto mine, his intense glare causing more of my tears to fall as his smile turned malevolent._

"_My form of torture is the only type that can make strong women sob for me, break down and wither away under my hands," he whispered, and I gasped in pain as his unkind fingers shoved themselves into my swollen opening, causing me to flinch in an attempt to get away from the agony. His smile widened after seeing my pained reaction, and he laughed as he shoved them even deeper into me, my blood making it slick and my shout filled with pain. I couldn't comprehend what was happening, how the one man in this place who had offered me care and help had turned into this monster who was just like the rest of them, no, who was _worse_ than the rest of them. My mind screamed in hurt, my body shaking in complete confusion, and I sobbed as I watched Haru unzip his pants slowly with his other hand, my sanity unraveling with each passing second. I felt his hand run up my stomach and rest on my bruised breast, his rough fingers squeezing my swollen nipple as he leaned towards me and breathed on my ear. This man, who I had felt a connection with, who had been a friend just like Tenzo had been to me so long ago, had closed our connection and had turned into the devil himself. The devil whom I had given the key to my heart, and who had decided to use that key to unlock my insanity instead and unravel the last few threads of happiness I had left. I felt my eyes close and my hope fade as he whispered into my ear with a voice full of evil._

"_Now, Lanyra-chan, I need to you tell me where you hurt the most."_

I blinked as the old memory faded away and the sight of my roommate came back into my vision. My heart was beating fast from the horror remembrance, but I skillfully breathed in deeply and thought about everything logically.

_Kakashi's not like that at all, obviously. My mind was just remembering a time when a friend had closed up on me and changed, but that example is extremely radical._

I frowned at my own mind.

_Kakashi is nothing like that, but I still harbor a fear for when people who are close to me close up and hide their thoughts and intentions._

And for some reason, my roommate was closing away from me, and I had no idea why.

I sat up from him, his weakened hands slipping away from my body. I turned around and looked at him straight in the eyes, telling him with my own expression I knew something was up. The rain was still pouring outside, the thundering pounding on the roof the only sound in our apartment. There was a slight light coming from the window, just enough to light the room. I stared into my roommate's eyes with a serious expression, trapping him, not allowing him to look away. Asking him what was wrong and demanding an answer. I watched his eyes soften a bit and almost give off a feeling of sadness, his vulnerability slightly showing and his brows coming together in confusion. _A confusion much like my own_. He then abruptly turned away and got off of the bed, his head slightly bent downwards and his hands tightening his towel around his waist. His shoulders had returned to their tension, and his eyes wouldn't meet mine again. He spoke quietly, but with care.

"You should shower now, Lyra. You still feel cold." I watched him walk to the dresser and pull out some clothes and I nodded. He wasn't ready to talk about whatever was bothering him, and I wouldn't force it. I got up off the bed too and stole myself as I quickly stepped towards him before heading to the shower. I lightly laid one of my hands on his broad shoulder, making him look over at me with his guarded eyes.

"There's hot chocolate in the kitchen," I said softly, and he nodded and I think he may have smiled under his mask. I couldn't be sure, because it didn't reach his eyes. I continued,

"And thank you again, for your patience," I said, referring to my hair. He nodded again and closed his eyes, turning back towards the dresser in a subtle dismissal. My brows furrowed at his actions, but I retrieved my hand and retreated to the bathroom, my mind buzzing in confusion. And a small bit of sadness.

_Why is he closing up? Did I do something?_

I closed the bathroom door and turned on the hot water, stripping my clothes off.

_I won't push him to tell me._

I stepped into the water, the extreme difference in temperature between the hot water and my cold toes stinging.

_But I wish I could…_

_I never thought my friendship with him would cause me to feel so many emotions._

I got the rest of my body under the water, and I sighed as I let the warm water wash around my limbs, warming them.

_Is this the weakness Lord Danzo was referring to? How Kakashi's actions towards me can make me feel?_

I lathered some shampoo into my soft hair, the washing going along smoothly due to the lack of tangles. I frowned at myself, really not understanding anything anymore. My friendship with Kakashi had been something so sturdy and consistent, something I could always rely on to be there. It still was there, in a sense, but I felt a wall being built between us and I couldn't figure out what that wall was, or how it got there.

_**I want more.**_

I flinched at my own random thought, the truth behind it making the words reverberate through my head and burn the small sentence in the front of my eyes for me to stare at.

_I want… more? But what does that mean?_

My brows frowned even deeper, my mind hastily denying what my sub consciousness had said. Want more? Want more _what_?

I glared at the conditioner I held in my hand, my brain whirling in a mess of confusion and denial. My hands clenched when I realized something.

_I can't take this much longer. I need my roommate, I need his help to figure out what changed._

I finished cleaning my body and my hair, the familiar natural scent relaxing my mind and helping me to think rationally. I felt my expression form a determined glare, my resolve strong in my decision to figure this out with Kakashi. I turned off the water and grabbed a towel, wringing the water out of my hair and drying off my body. My mind was still whirling as a strange thought grew in my mind, its ideas taking root and refusing to be pushed away from my denial as it bloomed with a simple but strong and unmoving realization.

_I care about my roommate to the point where my relationship to him matters heavily to me. And that is okay._

I tucked the towel around me and walked towards the door, planning to ask him for help. I reached for the handle and swung the door open, only to be met by the tall figure of the man himself looming just in front of me. My eyes snapped up to meet his, my brows raised in surprise, and I was met by an equally surprised expression. His eye was open again, leaking out his thoughts to me and telling me with just an eye contact that he was just as confused and frustrated as I was by whatever was going on between our friendship. He looked at me with care and kindness that was underlined with a sadness, a sadness that made my heart clench and my expression tighten. I blinked and waited for him to close up from me again, but to my even greater surprise, he stepped close to me and engulfed me in his arms, his hands holding my towel-covered body tightly and his head bending to be level with mine. His bare chest was warm and strong up against mine; his recent habit of hanging around the apartment without a shirt on was just now making me feel the effects as he squeezed me against him, his bare arms encircling me and my face against his bare shoulder and neck. I was just remembering how to breathe again and relax my automatically tense body when I felt his arm muscles tighten around me and lift me up, causing me to gasp as my toes left the ground. Kakashi carried me like this over to the bed and sat me down on the edge, my eyes still wide and a question on my lips when I looked up at his face to see a sight that literally took my breath away.

Kakashi was staring down into my eyes, his eye full of such strong emotion that I couldn't form a proper thought. His eye was emitting a passion, a passion full of sadness and confusion but also a strength of hope. His hands clenched by his sides, the sight of frustration unusual from Kakashi but adding in the effect of how impassioned he was feeling. I swallowed as his intense gaze locked with mine, and I felt a deep desire come forth from the depths of my stomach and spread a warmth of want throughout my limbs, stopping to heat up my heart with a desire to do something _more_ with him. Without thinking, I slowly reached a hand out towards his, my skin feeling the number of inches between us and unconsciously moving closer to lessen the distance. My fingers lightly brushed his, and I felt both of us shiver from the contact.

Right then, in one quick motion that my clogged mind had trouble keeping up with, I watched my roommate slide his mask down under his chin and lean down quickly to me to bring our faces closer. I felt my skin explode as his lips claimed mine, his move firm but gentle in a display that shone his desire, and I reached my arms up to wrap them around his neck, keeping him here, right next to me, and not allowing him to leave. He tilted his head against mine, deepening our kiss and sending my stomach to be filled with a wonderful, enlivened feel of the relief of feeling his lips on mine, his hands coming to caress my cheeks and neck gently. I felt him push even closer onto me, causing me to lie down on my back with his lips never ceasing in their impassioned pleasure giving, his hard chest pressing me against the bed and my hands weaving through his messy hair, keeping his perfect lips on mine. He kissed me with a certain need, a need I felt emit from my own lips as I kissed him back with just as much force, my mind so overwhelmed with relief and pleasure that it gave up trying to think about things and just relinquished all control to my body. My heart was racing, and so was his, and I arched my body up to press against his and create friction as his hand trailed down my neck to my collarbone ever so slowly, lighting up my blood and sending my desire to another level. The single towel that was the sole thing covering me was quickly strewn around my sides as our bodies fought to feel more of each other, just one more inch of closeness that we could obtain. I slipped a hand around him and ran it up his spine, feeling his hard shifting muscles react in a spasm to the pleasure and his arms slip under my bare body to hug me to him even closer to him, the millimeters of space in between us feeling like miles. I wrapped a leg around his waist, pulling him into me and positioning our most sensitive and intimate parts together, keeping his entire body in contact with mine as I felt and heard a growl emit from his lips, which I promptly swallowed with my own.

I had never felt so alive before; not in battle, not in training. This man I was holding and who was holding me back was the one man who understood me better than I understood myself, who never asked for explanations of my strange actions or my strange past and never pressured me to do anything I didn't want to. Those times when we had gotten close, when our touch had sparked an energy inside of me and awoke the sleeping monster in my mind, I had enjoyed and wanted every second of it until I couldn't take it anymore, and this man had given it to me and then stopped when I needed him to, never asking for more and never angry at me for it.

I felt these things as I kissed and molded with this man, my friend, my roommate, my training partner; Kakashi.

Suddenly, a jarring knock of a fist on wood cut through the sound of the rain and the sound of our heavy breaths, causing us to flinch slightly apart with a jolt. I felt my mind return to my body, reminding me of who I was and who this incredible man on top of me was, and how I was currently bare of any clothing under his warm hands and body. My eyes snapped to meet his wide ones, and I saw his own happiness, pleasure, and relief come from his own expression as he too returned to his senses and realize there was someone at our front door. The knocking sounded again, a softer knocking this time, and Kakashi and I untangled our limbs and tried to regain our breaths as I wrapped the towel around my body again and Kakashi stood from the bed. He looked down at me, his expression on his bare face holding an enlivened, strong energy, but also a slight vulnerability, and I smiled at him, thanking him with my eyes for doing whatever he had just done. He smiled slightly back, his smile reaching his eyes this time, his visible lips slightly red from our kissing but still forming a handsome small smile that gave him a different look, but a good look. He turned to walk to the dresser to grab a mask and then walked to the door to the kitchen, stopping at the door with his hand on the handle to glance back at me one last time.

I collapsed on our bed and blinked at the ceiling, feeling my heart beat and the blood calm in my veins.

_What just happened?_

I closed my eyes, realizing that whatever had happened was actually pretty nice.

_My PTS monster decided to stay asleep this time._

I sighed at the thought and brought a hand to my face, my fingers brushing my tender lips.

_Perhaps it all happened so fast, my mind didn't have time to rear its ugly head and disrupt my feelings._

I sat up on the bed and ran a hand through my already messy wet hair, attempting to save it but knowing it was a lost cause.

_What am I going to do when Kakashi comes back in here?_

I blinked at the thought and looked towards the door, infusing some chakra to see how far away he was. I inhaled sharply when I sensed the visitor's chakra, and my good mood immediately vanished and turned sour as my stomach filled with guilt, chilling the last parts of my body that were aroused.

_Neji…_

I frowned with sadness when I realized what day it was. It was a week after that incident, that alcohol and night incident…

I looked up to see my roommate enter our bedroom without looking at me, his hand on the door handle loosely and his eyes cast downwards.

"You have a visitor, Lyra." He said softly, and I felt my heart clench at his expression. I stood from the bed and padded over to him slowly, stopping in front of him. His eyes came up to meet mine, his thoughts still open to me but his eyes silently questioning. I leaned up and placed a small kiss on his masked lips, stopping to whisper,

"Thank you, Kakashi." I looked into his eyes to see him read mine and understand what I was feeling. That I appreciated whatever he had just done with me, and that I wanted, no, I needed more of it. I had a promise to keep with the Hyugas, but I would be back home as soon as I could be. I told him with my eyes what I felt for him, whatever it was I felt, and that I treasured our friendship and our relationship more than anything. I watched him smile slightly at me and place a hand on my cheek, his thumb tenderly rubbing me and relaxing the last of my nerves.

I made my way into the kitchen, the lighting in the room dark from the rain and the patter on the roof a constant drone. I found the eyes of Neji looking at me, and I was met with a hardened expression that was underlined with a certain understanding. I realized just then that I only had a towel on, and I tightened the thing around me as I gave Neji a small apologetic smile. He spoke quietly.

"Good afternoon, Lyra." He watched me with his strange expression, and I felt another wave of guilt flow through my stomach.

"Good afternoon, Neji. Is it time to prepare for the ceremony?" I asked him softly, and he nodded once, his large eyes blinking at me. I looked down at myself again and chuckled slightly.

"I just got out of the shower; let me put some clothes on real quick. Please sit down, make yourself at home." I turned slightly and headed back to the bedroom, glancing behind me to see a hardened forlorn expression on his face as he stiffly sat on the couch, and I felt another wave of regret wash through, chilling my bones. I walked into the bedroom to find Kakashi lying down on the bed on his back, and his head rose to meet my eyes with his own. I smiled over at him and turned to the dresser to grab some clothes. I reached into the drawer, and I was conscious of my roommate's eyes calmly and smoothly watching my back. I felt a blush form on my cheeks, and I looked over to him with my eyebrows raised in exasperation.

"Are you going to, you know, look away or something?" I stuttered out, and I watched his smile form and amusement enter his eyes. A familiar amusement; one that sent my caution up and caused my expression to harden into a glare from previous experience.

_What's he planning this time?_

He cocked his head at me, his laughing eyes glinting and his arms crossing against his chest. He grinned at me, and I glared at him.

"Your guest is waiting for you. Shouldn't you hurry and put some clothes on?" He asked nonchalantly, and I huffed at him as I gathered some clothes into my arms.

"I almost forgot I lived with a pervert, my mistake!" I threw the jab at him, and he chuckled at me. I struggled to keep my towel from falling while throwing pants and a shirt and other pieces into my arms, resulting in my toppling form threatening to tip over under the embarrassing vision of my teasing roommate.

"I'm not the only one who reads smut, Lyra," he calmly pointed out, and I scowled at him as and his truth. I threw a sock at him, and he caught it, chuckling. I took the mound of clothes I had grabbed made for the bathroom, avoiding his bold eyes and attempting to hide my blush. I kicked the bathroom door open and shuffled myself inside, throwing a glare behind my shoulder at my still grinning roommate. I saw his eyebrows rise and he started to say something.

"Lyra, you forgot-" I didn't wait for his next tease as I closed the door with a definite _click_ and dropped the pile of clothes I had grabbed to organize them. My cheeks were burning; there wasn't much else that could embarrass me so like my _asshole_ roommate sneaking peeks like the pervert he pretended to be. Because he wasn't really a pervert; he just read smut. He was actually respectful and kind, except when it came to teasing me like the _ass_ he was.

Then I remembered _once again_ that he had seen me before, he had _felt _me before on multiple occasions… Like he had not a couple minutes ago…

_How can one second, my roommate is starting fires in my veins from touching me, and the next he can tease me and poke fun at my embarrassment?_

The thought only reddened my cheeks further as my previous embarrassment doubled when I remembered his touch, his bare chest on mine and his bare lips…

I shook my head and finished slipping my pants on, my hands reaching around for a bra and to my horror realizing it had fallen from my pile of clothes on my way to the bathroom in haste. _Fuck._ I heard the bathroom door creak open and I shrieked, grabbing my shirt to cover myself and my eyes snapping to meet an onyx and a Sharingan both full of amusement. I glared at him as he held out a hand to me, my bra hanging from one of his fingers.

"You dropped something," he pointed out with a chuckle, and my red face scowled and I reached for the damned garment, Kakashi grinning the whole time. I glanced up to meet his eyes for a second, and to my relief, he allowed me to snatch the bra away from him after grumbling a small '_thanks_'. I turned away from him and delicately slipped the straps on, my consciousness very aware of how he hadn't moved from his position in the doorway.

_Damn it, Kakashi._

I fumbled with the clip, failing to properly clip the bra together, and adding to my exasperation. I flinched when I felt his warm fingers brush my hair away from my back, his fingers replacing mine and hooking the bra together with smooth movements. I tried to release the tension I felt in my back and shoulders from his touch, but that became impossible when he trailed his warm fingers down my spine slowly, electing a shiver from me. I looked at him over my shoulder, meeting his eyes that were alight with an energy. He looked alive, he looked invigorated, and the sight made me not want to have to leave our apartment right then. We were a foot apart, his hand still lingering on my lower back, and it took my strength not to turn to him right there and guide his hand to touch me in more places.

I closed my eyes, cutting the sight of him off and reminding myself that Neji and his family were waiting. I sighed deeply, bowing my head, and I urged the warmth in my stomach and the energy in my heart to calm for the time being, until I had performed for the Hyugas in their ceremony and I could return home. I felt his warm fingers remove themselves from me, and I opened my eyes to see him crouch down to the floor of the bathroom to retrieve the shirt I had grabbed. He handed it to me with a small smile, and I received it from him with my own. I slipped the cloth on as he turned to return to the bedroom, and I followed him soon after. I found him lying back on the bed, this time with his Icha Icha open and his lazy eye reading down the lines. His pale, sculpted chest looked even paler in the dark light coming from the window, matching his light messy hair and in contrast to his deep dark eye and his blood red sharingan. I walked over to the dresser to get my bags and I strapped them on, feeling his eye on me as I turned to leave. I looked around and met his gaze, a gaze that was full of light and full of thoughts, and his expression softened at me as I smiled a crooked smile at him before walking back to the kitchen.

I took a deep breath and met Neji's hardened expression, nodding at him that I was ready to leave. Neji didn't say anything, and I grabbed my drying raincoat as we readied ourselves to go out in the rain. I opened the door and glanced back into the apartment one last time, my thoughts and my feelings battling to be heard over the other in my mind, all while my stomach was fluttering with a bunch of butterflies. I didn't know much for sure, but I sure as hell knew that I was ready to return to the apartment soon and eager to return to my roommate.

* * *

**Thank you for reading, I would love it if you let me know what you think :).**


	9. Forget

**Short chapter, Finals week is coming up.**

**Kind of a filler chapter?**

**Anyways, thank you for reading :).**

* * *

**Lyra**

_Look at that, a rainbow._

I thought absently as I crossed my legs on the bench outside the Hyuga great hall. The sun was fighting its way from the confines of the clouds, the rain finally letting up and the world returning to light. A giant rainbow was stretched out across the sky, the colors shimmering in the humid sky. The blue of the sky was peeking out from behind the quickly dispersing wall of clouds, and the rainbow was solidifying as the sun hit all of the water droplets in the air. I was sitting by myself on a bench in the Hyuga courtyard, and I could hear the drone of talking come from inside the great hall. Everyone was eating lunch after the morning of rehearsals, and I had grabbed a few eggrolls and a cup of tea and sought out a quiet place.

_I can only take so much… people._

I smiled and shook my head at myself as I sipped the warm tea and watched the fish swim in the little pond, content to miss out on the pointless chatter that was occurring inside the building.

I had practiced my part with Neji under the close inspection of his uncle, going over how long each of us would take turns demonstrating offensive and defensive moves that highlighted the unique gentle fist. Having a fight so structured, down to the point where I had to worry about how long we had been fighting, takes the fun and the energy out of an exciting fight, and the morning and early afternoon had taken the energy out of me. Not to mention, the almost visible wall I felt between Neji and me from his serious and unemotional pale eyes and his stiff and uncomfortable body no longer dancing along mine in the balance and symmetry we once had in our fight.

I sighed and pulled out a couple things from my pouch. My fingers found my pile of stray dragon scales I had been saving up, scales that were smaller than coins and thinner than them. Each scale, however, was harder than any diamond, and possessed a value greater than any piece of jewelry. I also pulled out a bunch of small leather strips, the smooth and malleable pieces feeling comfortable and familiar in my hands. I began to weave a bracelet out of the scales and the leather strips, the simple labor of tying knots relaxing my mind and putting a smile on my face.

_I wonder when I can leave from here. I would very much like to return to the apartment._

I felt my cheeks blush as I recalled the little action I had been teased with this morning by a certain man, so happening to be my roommate.

_I wonder what he's up to._

As much as I would enjoy repeating whatever had happened this morning with him, I was also craving just the normal friend things we do like reading our books and arguing about how good certain scenes were, or cooking or baking food together and fighting over the last bite like it was the last food on earth. I smiled at the thought and continued to tighten the leather strips through the multi-colored scales, my mind lost in a sea of thoughts as I relaxed on the bench and soaked in the beautiful sight of the rainbow.

I looked up, surprised, when I felt Neji's chakra approach mine slowly from the building. The air was quiet except for the small crash of a mini-waterfall falling into the small pond and a bird chirping nearby. I met Neji's hard eyes and I felt my stomach flood with the unpleasant feeling once again, a mix of guilt and regret and sadness. I lowered my eyes from him and tried to swallow the knot that had formed in my throat as he came to sit next to me on the bench.

I glanced up at him and found his eyes softened as he looked down at the pond, his previous stiffness draining out of him and his expression relaxing. I watched as he relaxed from the tension he always held when around his family, and his large pale eyes came to meet mine with a new expression. His expression still held the hardness, but it also held his pain, and an understanding as he looked at me with a kindness I didn't deserve. I felt my heart break as I watched this pained and almost hopeless expression come from my friend, and I closed my eyes, unable to look at him without hugging him or apologizing again. I didn't know what to say.

_Mistakes always have consequences. And some consequences are more painful than others._

"Lyra, I am sorry I have been distant. I haven't been a good friend." His soft voice said to me, and my eyes shot open in disbelief.

_He's sorry? Why would _he _be sorry? _

_I'm the shitty friend here._

His pained face, his hardening eyes from that morning flew into my mind and struck my heart.

Neji saw my surprise and my disagreement, and he gave me a small smile. He closed his eyes and bent his head a bit, his long hair falling forward over his shoulders and framing his face. I frowned, immediately rejecting any apology he could have for me.

"Neji, there is absolutely nothing for you to be sorry about." I clenched my hands, frustrated at myself for this awkward and uncomfortable feeling we now had between us. "I deserve your anger." I angrily took a sip of tea, unsatisfied that he wasn't angry with me and my unfair actions.

I glared at the beautiful pond with the beautiful fish and wished that Neji would realize how selfish my drunken choices were and get mad at me. Get angry with me. Tell me what a horrible friend I was and how I don't deserve to fight against him any longer.

I felt a single tear fall down my angry cheek, and I wiped it away as I looked at his face. He looked at me with patience, and with that understanding that hurt my heart.

"I'm not angry with you, Lyra. I… acted selfishly that night, taking what I wanted and not stopping us when we went too far." He looked down, his own face filling with frustration and pain. The sight of my friend, the friend whom I had taken advantage of when I was under the influence, his face filled with pain and frustration that I caused, looking down and trying to apologize _to me_, caused my single tear to be met with another. I tentatively reached out my hand and lightly touched his arm, causing him to look up and meet my eyes with his weakened ones.

"Neji, I am so sorry. I am sorry for everything, and I can't stand seeing you thinking some of this was your fault. I turn into a monster when I drink. A monster that takes what it wants and leaves me to deal with it emotionally in the morning." Neji's eyes were watching mine, and I continued. "But I miss you as a friend, as a training partner I can release my energy with. I miss the connection we had, and I would do anything to regain it." I tried to hold his eyes, I tried to look at him straight on, and my heart ached. "I know I don't deserve that."

Neji raised his hand and rested it on my cheek for a few seconds before removing it gently, giving me a small smile. His eyes had softened some more, and his smile was beginning to reach his eyes. He spoke in his soft voice.

"I want us to be friends. Whatever either of us did and whatever either of us deserves, I want us to be friends." I stared at his kind eyes, his patient eyes that still held the tiniest amount of hardness, and I felt a weight from my chest be removed. I slipped my arms under his and hugged him quickly, thanking him. His hand patted my back and I removed myself from him, smiling slightly.

I visibly relaxed there on the bench, the tension from my heart slightly easing up and my brow relaxing from its frown. I looked up to see the rainbow again, counting the blessings I had when it came to my forgiving friends. I felt Neji shift slightly next to me, and I looked over at him to see his expression change to a nervous and uncomfortable one. He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead, looking visibly stressed, and he opened his pale eyes to look at me again.

"I also came out here to warn you." He looked down again, and I felt my eyebrows rise in question. He continued.

"My uncle… he plans to…" Neji blinked and frowned towards the pond. "He plans to have me ask you to join our family with marriage."

I blinked at him, my mind completely stopping and abandoning my body to fend for its own.

_Huh?_

Neji continued, holding up his hands calmly, but his eyes were still guarded.

"I know you don't want that, and that is alright. But I know he does." Neji looked down and frowned, and I tried to grasp what he was saying.

_His uncle wants… Neji to… huh?_

Neji rubbed his forehead again, and he glanced at me, wanting me to respond. I whispered towards him, my face falling.

"I am so sorry, Neji…"

He nodded in understanding, and he glanced towards the great hall, his face taking on its familiar tension and stress it held around his family.

_He probably doesn't have any choice in the matter._

_Neji has to live his life under the control of his uncle, with next to no choices on his own._

I closed my eyes, feeling anger grow once again at this unfair family.

_I wish I could help him._

_I wish I could, because he deserves a better life than this._

_But I can't be what they want._

_I can't._

I sighed deeply, my own stress arising from the stress coming from my friend sitting next to me.

_I can't, I won't get married. It's not just Neji… That is just not the life I can lead._

I opened my eyes to see him watching me with a slight sadness, and I looked at him back with the same sadness.

I questioned him with my eyes. I asked how long before I would have to say no. I asked him this, because my friendship with him could be affected if his uncle disapproved of my rejection.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, opening them again to answer me.

"I don't know. But you and I are done today for this rehearsal, so you can leave if you wish."

He looked over at the pond, his pale eyes not really seeing it, and I glared. I glared at the world.

I finished off my tea and also stared at the pond without really seeing it, speaking in my own soft tone.

"I need to punch something, Neji." He looked over at me with his eyebrows slightly raised, and he smiled a small smile in my direction. I met his eyes with my own, for once my expression the serious one and his the one with the smile.

"You can punch me, but I will punch back." He told me seriously, and I felt my crooked smile emerge from the depths of my problems.

"Good. I need a good fight." I said, and I felt the old feeling of friendship form from this friend, from his will to put up with my punches, both physical and metaphorical.

I stood up from the bench and was about to hold a hand out to help Neji up when the door to the great hall slid open and the drone of talking increased in volume. We looked over to see Hiashi emerge from the hall in his decorated robes, his bearing powerful and his expression unyielding.

_Shit._

I glanced over at Neji, and his eyes told me he understood. I bowed over to the Lord and got my excuses out as fast as I could, before he could utter a word.

"Lord Hiashi, I apologize but I must leave now. Thank you again for the opportunity to perform in the ceremony, and thank you for lunch." I straightened up and tried to read his expression.

_I need to leave now. I don't think I can handle any more confusing social interactions today._

He surprisingly didn't look down at me, he looked at me levelly like I was an equal. His eyes met mine with respect and he nodded at me in understanding, and I almost lost my cool. I smiled slightly at him and looked over at Neji, seeing his slight smile.

"See you later, Neji," I said as I made my way towards the gate to the Hyuga compound, and he nodded at me as well. I left the two in the garden and made my way towards the gate, my nerves out of whack.

_I want to return to the apartment._

I exited the large gate and was about to make my way home when a green jump-suited body flew into my vision and made me stop abruptly in my tracks.

"Lyra-chan! I challenge you to a duel!" I blinked and focused on the mini-Gai, his determined look and his endless energy announcing his presence. I felt a large grin form on my face from the good luck.

_I still need to punch something._

"Hey Lee, your timing is perfect." I smiled at the vibrating ninja, his energy visible and his determined smile hardening. "How about right now?"

I watched him nod furiously and take off in the direction of the village gate, towards one of the training grounds. I sprinted after him, smiling as it felt good to move and get some of my own pent up energy out. Lee shouted at me over his shoulder as we made our way to a good fighting ground.

"I have been excited to face you, Lyra-chan! I have heard good things about your fighting skills, and I have wanted to test my own skills against yours!"

I smiled at him as we bounded across the village, travelling at a fast rate to reach a suitable distance for a fight.

_Lee fights entirely with Taijutsu, but he has all but mastered it._

I breathed in deeply, forgetting the confusing and awkward situation at the Hyugas' and tucking the weird feelings I have from my own apartment into a small space in the back of my mind to deal with later.

_Now, now I can forget everything and let my body take over. Now I can fight this ninja and feel the power of his eight inner gates and counter it with my own power!_

"Let's go, Lee! I won't hold back on you, so you don't hold back on me!"

* * *

**Kakashi**

Kakashi swirled his drink, watching the small droplets of condensation lazily drip down the sides of the glass. He gulped another mouthful, feeling the stinging liquid wash down his throat, promising the arrival of the drunken elated feeling he was here for. It was still early so the bar was all but empty; just a few other lonely people were nursing their drinks and contemplating life in the dark corners of the quiet pub. Just like he was.

_What happened today?_

He chuckled slightly and shook his head, trying again for the hundredth time to stop thinking about it. Stop thinking about her.

His training partner, his roommate. That energetic redheaded whirlwind of a woman.

_What happened today?_

He leaned on the counter, shifting his position to sit more comfortably on the barstool. His mind was a pool of conflicting thoughts. For the last week, no, probably for much longer than that, he had been trying his absolute best to bury any feelings he felt for her. It wasn't easy. Especially when she would bring surprise cookies for lunch after their training, or when she would smack him playfully when he would tease her about something or another, or when she would throw objects at either him or the wall like a book or a lamp or a comb or a sock in her reckless fury.

Kakashi felt a small smile form on his face from the image of his roommate's seething form when she found out he had finished off all of the leftover pancakes after promising to save her some. In their household, that was of course considered one of the most terrible of crimes. And he had done it just to see her face redden with her glare, and her eyes glint in their slits. The sight of his ruffled and exasperated roommate was one of the most amusing and adorable sights he had ever seen, and he admitted that he caused her to be in that state more than he should.

Kakashi closed his eyes and sighed, trying to sort out the mess of thoughts battling each other inside his head. After a while of constant denial and of disregarding any emotions he had for her, the outburst he had this morning was causing his confused mind to be overtaken by another organ in his body. An organ that was currently throbbing with pent up passion that needed to be released that had been lit up by his actions with her; his heart.

_And I wasn't even doing a good job of ignoring it. She knew something was up, just by meeting my eyes._

Kakashi sighed again and finished off his drink, ignoring the other couple of empty glasses he had sitting in front of him. He doesn't usually drown his mind and heart in alcohol, but then he doesn't usually feel the need to. He is a high leveled shinobi, one of the most experienced and dependable ones in his village. His name is known across the other villages, and his deeds preceded him. He had served in the Anbu for years and had trained his mind to carry out orders emotionlessly, not allowing his heart to have any say in what his mind ordered his body to do. Kakashi had never before felt his heart betray him like this, where his mental state and even his physical state was affected by the relationship he held with another person.

_Of course, her mental and physical states are just as affected, if not more._

His roommate was also a very high leveled shinobi, one he trusted with his life. He had absolutely no doubts about her when it came to combat and her teamwork, and she herself exhibited the perfect example of technique and resolve. But she too was affected by the simple thing of a relationship. Kakashi had found out very early in their friendship of her weakness, her instability when it came to close human contact both physically and emotionally.

Kakashi's brows narrowed, the thought of what caused her to be like that sending a cold chill through his limbs and causing him to clench his fists in anger. He still knew only very little about her past, about what horrifying experiences she had to live through to cause such a powerful woman to break down emotionally. He knew from experience that you cannot force someone to speak about a memory that causes them stress if they are not ready to. He himself had never spoken about Rin before recovering from his PTS, and he now still doesn't think talking about it to anyone back then would have helped him.

_All I can do is be there for her. Make her laugh, make her smile, whether it is by kindness or by teasing her._

Kakashi let his mind muddle through his miscellaneous thoughts for a while, enjoying the alcohol and wanting more of it. The bar tender was already raising his eyebrows at him, subtly warning him that he had already had a lot to drink. Kakashi knew this, but he still felt his hand guide more sake to his mouth in his body's will to forget everything confusing.

He looked up when another person sat down beside him, and he found himself looking at his old friend and comrade, Asuma.

"Kakashi, a bit early to be drowning in your sorrows, don't you think?" Asuma asked casually, his expression amused but his eyes kind and understanding. Kakashi lazily blinked his eye at his old friend in response.

_Am I drowning in my sorrows? But what sorrows? _

Asuma signaled the bartender for a drink and joined Kakashi in the quiet and comfortable sake sipping. Kakashi noticed Asuma's energetic feel around him, and Asuma looked at Kakashi with a joyful glint in his eye. He continued in an excited voice.

"I'm here drinking for a good reason. It's Kurenai, Kakashi," he said, and Kakashi looked over at him in question. Asuma took a gulp of his sake and turned to Kakashi, his voice lowering in an excited whisper.

"She's pregnant," he smiled as he said this, and Kakashi's brows rose high in surprise. He knew his friend cared about Kurenai very much, and they had been in a secret but solid relationship for a while now. He used to wonder what his friend had that he didn't when it came to women, because Asuma's luck with Kurenai was greater than his was. Now, however, he was glad she had ended whatever they had when she did, because they had just never clicked. She and he want different things, and she and Asuma are much happier.

"Congratulations," Kakashi said with his own smile, glad to see his childhood friends take another step in their lives. Start a new chapter. Kakashi took another drink, feeling the sudden weight of his age weigh down on his shoulders in the reminder of how old he and his friends now were. "Children, Asuma," Kakashi mused over his glass, the statement holding a weight of its own.

"I know. I thought at first the thought of kids would terrify me, make me want to run away and start anew," Asuma mused over his own drink, his happy face holding a certain light. "But now that it's actually happening, I couldn't be happier."

Kakashi watched his friend speak his heart, and he felt happy for his friend. Asuma looked past his alcohol and past the bar, seeing something farther and more important than the present. Kakashi related to the feeling, realizing he had spent the last hour in his current thoughtful position here.

"Will she move in with you?" Kakashi asked his friend, and Asuma focused his eyes back to this dimension.

"Eventually. First we want to tell our teams and break the news smoothly," he responded, and Kakashi nodded. For some reason, the personal lives of senseis were an almost fragile subject to the students. Kakashi remembered Sakura's face when she had first met his roommate, her blush and embarrassment apparent but her curiosity also intrigued.

_Who would have thought a couple months later, I would actually be doing and thinking about doing so much more with Lyra?_

Kakashi looked over at his friend to see his face in a more serious expression, and he guessed what was on his mind.

"I'm sure Lord Third will be watching out for his future grandson or daughter from wherever he is now," Kakashi murmured, and Asuma nodded with a slight smile. Closing his eyes in the respectful silence, he responded,

"My old man would have loved to meet another grandchild. I wonder if he or she will be like Konohamaru." Asuma drank from his glass, and Kakashi did as well. Asuma shook his head a bit and looked at Kakashi, his eyes questioning.

"So what brought you here? I don't usually see you here at all, especially not this early in the evening," he asked, and Kakashi closed his eyes and sighed deeply. He smiled slightly, his alcohol-clouded mind returning to the reason he was here. Asuma watched him for a second, and then read his mind like an old friend would. Or like his roommate would.

"Are you here about a woman as well? I hear you are still training regularly with Lyra, you two still living together too?" He asked, and Kakashi nodded, unable to say more. However close he was to his old friends, he had never been able to properly voice his thoughts well for others. Especially if the thoughts dealt with his emotions. This was one of the reasons he had distanced himself from them so long ago after Rin died. He was unable to communicate with words what was bothering him, and trying to do so just made it harder for him. This was probably another reason he didn't fare too well in relationships.

_But not with my roommate. With her, I don't need words._

Kakashi looked down, losing eye contact with him and focusing on his shrinking amount of alcohol. He felt Asuma's eyes on him, and he heard Asuma chuckle slightly.

"From the few times I've met her, she seems like a very unique person. You two have something special in common, besides your fighting skills and your love for graphic novels," Asuma said absently. Kakashi looked at him and questioned him with his eye, and Asuma smiled but his brows came together in his thinking, trying to put his own thoughts into words.

"I don't know what it is, but you two seem to always be on the same page. Like your minds just click with each other," Asuma mused, taking another drink from his glass. Kakashi blinked at him, surprised at how honest and accurate his words were, and how he had been able to tell that from just the few times he had seen them together. Kakashi stayed silent, not knowing what he could say and not even knowing how he would say it if he were to. He always appreciated this about Asuma; how he knew when he should speak and have a conversation with someone where only he speaks and the other just listens and agrees. It helps when a friend can say your own thoughts out loud for you, because sometimes saying your thoughts is painful or still convoluted in your own mind still, like Kakashi's were.

_Not that the alcohol is helping with that._

They sat together in comfortable company for a while, and the people were slowly trickling in by the waning time and ordering drinks. After a while, Asuma finished his drink and paid the bartender, laying a hand on Kakashi's shoulder as he stood from the stool.

"I've got a mission tomorrow, I should head home. Take it easy, Kakashi," he smiled slightly, and Kakashi smiled back.

"You too, Asuma." He watched Asuma make his way out of the now crowded bar, and Kakashi sighed heavily.

_I should be heading home soon too._

But then the thought of who would be waiting for him there, a tall and beautiful woman with fiery hair and those piercing eyes, with her natural scent and her kind and crooked smile, came flying into his mind and clenched his heart. His heart felt a pressure on it, squeezing it, but it wasn't a bad pressure that is caused by sadness or anxiety. It was a pressure caused by excitement and desire, and an almost awe. He was awed at her, at her elegant figure that moved with the grace of a goddess, at her soft and cool hands as they touched him with tenderness, and at her genuine eyes that held a depth of kindness and patience.

_I need another drink._

* * *

**Lyra**

I stumbled over to the steaming heap of a body in front of me, my brows together in worry, making the other pains and fatigue in my body not important.

"Lee!" I called over to him again, my clumsy and tired feet tripping over the ruble we had created in the center of the now ruined training field. We were in the center of a very large and uneven crater, caused by the multiple assaults our fight did to the earth. I held a healing hand over my bloody fist as I made my way over to the crumpled form of Lee.

My eyes widened when I saw him shakily lift his head to look at me, and I felt relief flood through my veins. In our duel, it had become quickly apparent to me that his Taijutsu skills exceeded mine in power and in accuracy. I wasted no time as I had entered into Sage Mode, using the elements around me to increase my speed to be able to keep up with him. After an hour or so of fending off his expert physical attacks, I decided I had to bring ninjutsu into the mix of our fight.

I approached him and sat down heavily on the rubble next to him, holding my hands out to heal his burns I had accidentally given him. The only element fast enough to hit him when he had opened his gates was lightning, thus his steaming body.

"Lyra…chan… that was… an awesome fight…" he smiled up at me, and I smiled back at him as I moved my hands to heal more of his body.

"I am so sorry I burned you, Lee. But you were so fast! That was the only way I could hit you," I said, and I watched Lee smile from the compliment. I looked up at the sky as I continued to soothe his burns, realizing the evening had already worn on for quite some time. "We fought for a long time. That was a great fight, thank you Lee," I told him, and he shook his head.

"Thank you, Lyra-chan. It was great to test my skills against you!" He sat up and began to fasten his training weights back onto his shins. I sighed as I relaxed my beating heart for the first time in a few hours. Unfortunately, as my fight crazed heart and nerves settled down, they let in the thoughts and the worries I had been running from.

"It's so great to just fight for hours like that. I can just forget about everything and just enjoy doing what I do best," I mused over to Lee, and I felt his eyes look at me.

"I agree. But what would you want to forget about?" He asked me with genuine curiosity, and I smiled over to him, trying to understand what I even said.

"I'm not really sure. But I think forgetting about it for a while and coming back to it later is either immature or smart." I said randomly, and I chuckled at myself. I scratched my head and looked up at the dark sky, watching the navy blue clouds drift slowly across. Lee shifted next to me, uncommonly staying still.

"I think it may be both, but if it helps you and makes you happy, then you should continue to do that," he said in his pronunciated speech, and I half-smiled at him in thanks. I hefted myself up onto my feet, and so did he.

"I think I'll head home now. Thanks again for the fight, Lee," I said as we climbed out way out of the crater.

"Thank you again too! We ended this day of training with a powerful match!" He replied, and I nodded. I looked behind me at the ruined earth that we caused, and I quickly formed the hand sign for earth and performed the earth recovery jutsu. The earth rumbled back into a level state, and I felt the jutsu take chakra from the little amount I had left. I made my way home to the apartment after waving back at Lee, my limbs tired from the fight and my stomach a gaping black hole that was whining for food.

_I am so eager to go home and relax in just the company of my roommate._

I smiled slightly as I walked home in the dark, realizing that whatever strange feelings I felt for him, I still couldn't wait to just fall asleep on the couch with him or get lost in a book next to him.

I approached our neighborhood, and I noticed the apartment was void of his chakra. I searched the village quickly, closing my eyes to concentrate, and I felt his chakra at the bar. A flashback of the second time we shared a passionate night came barreling into my mind, reminding me of how that night had started; by joining him in that bar.

_I'm not drinking. I think I'm done with alcohol for a long time._

Nodding, I told this to myself and changed my path to the bar to join him there. _I have a lot to figure out, and alcohol would just make that so much harder._

The moon was rising to light the night as I entered the bar, the heavy smug scent of alcohol sending my involuntary body into an energetic excitement. I shrugged the good feeling off and made my way to the bar, twisting around people and adjusting to the loud music and loud chorus of chatter.

Kakashi was sitting there on a barstool with his back facing me, his shoulders slumped and his head angled downwards. This made my brows come together, and I placed a hand on his shoulder.

He took about three seconds to respond, his head slowly turning to look at me around his shoulder. My eyebrows rose when I saw his glassy eye and his tired look, and I chuckled slightly when I saw the mass of empty glasses in front of him.

_I don't think I've ever seen him this drunk._

"Hey, are you feeling okay?" I asked him, and he lazily blinked at me in response. The sight of this strong and powerful man lost in a sea of alcohol was strangely amusing, and I chuckled at him again. "How about we head home now, okay?" I asked him gently as I took his heavy hand. He blinked at me some more as I pulled him up from the stool, and I staggered as he fell against me for support.

"Oof, Kakashi, okay now, here we go," I murmured as I wrapped one of his arms around my neck so he could lean on me.

_Nope, I've never seen him this drunk._

I led him slowly out of the crowded bar and into the cool night after paying the bartender a large sum, Kakashi's legs trying to support himself.

"…Lyra?" He asked softly, and I pat his back as I led him down the street.

"I'm here, don't worry we're going home now," I replied gently, and I shifted his heavy arm on my shoulders. We made our way to our close apartment, and as we neared the foot of the stairs, I halted us. I concentrated some of the last bit of chakra I had for today and teleported us up the two flights, not even attempting to get the very drunken Kakashi up that death obstacle course.

I removed his arm from my shoulders and leaned him against the wall next to the door, his drooping eye blinking at me as I fished my keys out of my pouch. I was wrangling with the key into the rusty lock when he spoke quietly into the silence of the night.

"You're so beautiful in the moonlight, Lyra…" I stopped and looked over at him, my eyes wide. He was looking at me, his hidden face smiling slightly, and his eye completely unguarded and open to me while showing a respectful kindness, completely opposite to how most men act when they are drunk.

_Completely opposite to how _I_ act when I'm drunk._

I got the door open and grabbed his heavy arm again, looping it around my shoulders and leading him inside our apartment. I sat him down on the couch, taking my shoes off and then crouching down in front of him to take his off as well.

"What made you get so drunk, Kakashi?" I asked myself quietly as I unstrapped his shoes, and I flinched when I actually got a response.

"You make me _feel_, Lyra…" His soft and mellow voice held such emotion in it; I looked up at him in disbelief. His clumsy hand came to caress my cheek, his fingers trailing down my neck and making me shiver. I finished removing his shoes and got up to place them by the door, looking back at him to see him looking at me back. I approached him and grabbed his arm again, leading him to the bedroom and trying to keep him from bumping into walls on the way there.

"Let's get you to sleep now," I told him as I helped him sit down on his side of the bed. His droopy eye watched me as I started to unbutton his vest, thinking I couldn't have him sleep in that uncomfortable thing. He raised his clumsy hand again to place it gently on my hip, his drunken movements still finding a way to be smooth.

"We always sleep together, but still so far apart," he murmured as he blinked slowly, and I gently took his hand from my waist so I could remove his vest. I untied his headband from his forehead, unveiling another eye to look at me. I worked his shirt off of his muscular chest and arms, his limbs heavy and his movements slow. I turned to fold the vest and place his things on the dresser, shaking my head and smiling slightly at how much my roommate changes when he gets to this level of drunkenness. I turned back towards the bed and was met by his uneven, passionate gaze, and I was stopped in my tracks from his intensity.

"Lyra… I think I may love you."

I blinked at him, not really believing this passionate and drunken man was my roommate. My stoic, serious, lazy but down to earth roommate. The moon was shining on us from the window, casting the bedroom into an intimate twilight. His silver hair lay in its messiness, his broad shoulders and fit body exuded his strength, and his intense but reddening eyes shone his passion. This man was my roommate. This man was the Kakashi I knew.

_But he is a very drunk and a very tired Kakashi._

I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply as I walked over to him, lightly pushing him down to lie on the bed.

"You need to sleep now, okay?" I asked him softly as I adjusted his pillow and arranged his half of the blanket. He let me push him down weakly, his brows frowning and his hand grasping mine. I made the mistake of meeting his eyes again, and he trapped me in his drunken onyx and sharingan gaze.

"First…" his hand grasping mine moved to my cheek, and his other hand slipped his mask down to his chin. "Before I sleep…" He brought my startled face closer to his, and I flinched when his warm lips captured mine. My stomach exploded pleasure through my limbs at the contact, and I let him deepen the kiss by tilting our heads. He kissed me with tenderness, with patience, and returned it without thinking as my heart clenched in happiness. It took all of my strength to remember that he was currently very drunk, and he really did need to get to sleep. I tasted the alcohol on his lips, but the kiss was still sweet and gentle, and I would be lying if I said I didn't want more of it. I lightly broke off the kiss and instead kissed his bare forehead, pushing him to settle down in the bed.

"Sleep now. I'll make muffins in the morning," I told him softly, and I watched him smile slightly in the moonlight as he finally passed out. I sighed deeply and readied myself for bed, wondering if my roommate will even remember what he did when he was this drunk. I touched my lips with my fingers and smiled slightly as I slipped under the covers, feeling happy and safe with this gentle man sleeping next to me.

_Part of me hopes he remembers what he did tonight. Part of me hopes he actually meant it._

I let myself be pulled into sleep's embrace, the steady breath of my roommate next to me lulling me to sleep.

* * *

**So I think developing characters is a hard thing for me, I would be so thankful if you have any suggestions about that or anything else for me.**

**Thank you so much for reading, have a wonderful day. :)**


	10. Interuptions

**Sorry it has been a while since I've updated, but Spring semester is finally over and I'll have a lot more time to write :).**

**There will be a flashback in the next chapter, and many more to come in the next few chapters.**

**I am so thankful you take your time to read my story, I hope you enjoy :).**

* * *

**Lyra**

_Lyra, don't eat them all. You need to save some for your roommate._

I frowned at my logical side as I reached up into the cabinet to get some tin foil. I pulled out a square and fit it over the plate of fresh blueberry muffins, trapping the heat they gave off and preserving them for my sleeping roommate to have when he emerges from his drunken sleep. I smiled slightly as I set the plate on the counter, my fingers finding themselves itching up to touch my lips, my mind still on last night.

_I need to talk to him. We need to figure out what's happening._

Of course, 'talking' to him really meant communicating with him, which actually usually doesn't involve words.

The warm aroma of my muffins filled my being with a wonderful and homey feeling, tempting me to eat even more. I frowned at myself and firmly placed the covered plate farther away from me on the counter, my mind wondering when he will wake up from his alcohol coma.

_He really did have too much to drink last night. But I'm not exactly the person to chastise others about drinking problems._

I leaned against the counter and untied the apron from my waist, fully enjoying the warm sun rays coming through the window and lighting up the kitchen with their natural light. There was no better feeling than sipping warm tea and feeling the sun rays shine on you on a cold morning.

A cold New Years morning.

I felt my gaze be pulled over to the bedroom again, my mind still thinking about the sleeping man in there.

_He will probably have a killer headache when he wakes up._

The thought made my brows come together and I watched as my feet took me through the kitchen towards the bedroom, and I quietly opened the door a crack to peek inside.

Kakashi was still sleeping on his side of the bed, his chest slightly rising every few seconds and his silver bangs hooding his eyes. I had pulled his mask back over his nose before I fell asleep last night, thinking he would probably feel more comfortable with it on. His blanket only came up to his mid chest, the slight light coming from the blinds of the window shining on his pale sculpted chest and accentuating his strong jaw line outlined by the mask. He looked so peaceful as he slept, and I felt my frown soften and my mouth lift in a smile at the sight of this sleeping friend, my sweet roommate.

_What am I doing? Stop watching him sleep, you creep._

I closed the door silently, retreating to the kitchen to make sure he could get as much sleep as he needed. Today was the large New Years festival encompassing the entire village, and I could almost feel the energy come from outside in all directions from people firing up their grills and preparing for an eventful day.

_I can't wait to walk around and see and smell and _eat_ all of the good food people will be cooking and selling on the streets!_

I poured myself some more tea and sat down on the couch, pulling out my book and settling into the soft cushions. I opened to my page and sipped my tea, content to lose myself in some the graphic plot for a while on this lovely morning.

I was in the middle of reading a very, well, _interesting_ part when I sensed a couple chakra signatures approach the apartment in a great haste. I focused my sensing abilities and identified them just as I heard the front door being banged on.

I jumped up to answer the door quickly, knowing the loud banging probably wasn't good for the passed out roommate, and I met the very happy and excited faces of Sakura, Ino, Hinata and Tenten. The four's eyes glinted with an expression that showed they had a very detailed and specific plan for today, and they came tumbling into the apartment giving off an air of excitement.

"Lyra! It's the New Years Festival today!" Sakura informed me in an almost squeal, and I blinked at her and chuckled at their excitement.

"I know, it's a bit early though?" I got out as I felt hands grab my limbs and pull me towards the door.

"We have so much to do! Make-up, clothes, shoes, hair," Ino listed off as she and the others surrounded me and engulfed me in their sparkling energy. I smiled slightly and gave them a questioning look that asked, 'yes but what does that have to do with me?'

"They're dragging me along too, I think it's safest if we just let them have at us," Tenten told me with a hopeless laugh, and I met the enlivened smiles of Sakura and Ino. I smiled slightly at Hinata, her shy expression showing a hint of excitement for the festival, and I sighed deeply.

"I actually haven't been to a New Years Festival in a long, long time," I tried to excuse myself, but that just caused Sakura and Ino to grab my arms and look into my eyes with serious expressions.

"Lyra, I saw the most _gorgeous_ kimono that would go with your eyes and perfectly contrast to your hair in the market near my flower shop," Ino told me seriously, and I suspected she expected a certain joyous reaction from me.

…_Kimono… am I supposed to be excited for that?_

"And Lyra, my mom has wanted to try doing a new hairstyle on someone, but my hair is too short for it and Ino's is too thin," Sakura told me excitedly. I was about to respond when Ino turned on her with a killing expression.

"Too _thin?_ At least mine hasn't been _thinning_ from day one like the hair above your _forehead_, _Billboard_," she threw at Sakura, and she glared back and was about to start a fight in my kitchen when I shushed them with urgency.

"Shh guys, Kakashi's sleeping," I hushed them, and the four blinked at me. They all simultaneously remembered they were also in their Kakashi sensei's kitchen.

I chuckled at their sudden quietness, and I looked towards the bedroom.

"Let me get some clothes and some money, I'll be right back," I said quietly with a smile as I walked over to the bedroom. I inched the door open and tiptoed over to the dresser, glancing over at the body in the bed. I flinched when I watched him shift position, his arm coming up to lie above his head and his biceps and triceps tightening in the motion. His face turned towards me a bit as he got more comfortable, his eyes still closed and his face still peaceful.

I breathed, realizing I wasn't entirely prepared to face him yet.

I wanted to figure things out with him. But with his face currently so relaxed and handsome as he sleeps, his eyes always so kind and patient, and his shirt currently _off_, I was pretty sure my 'figuring things out with him' meant tackling him and continuing whatever had started last night.

_Of course, he was piss drunk last night. He may not even remember what he did. _

_Or what he said._

I turned away from him, from my dear friend and roommate, and I focused on the dresser in front of me. Knowing the kunoichi in the kitchen were waiting for me, and assuming Kakashi was sleeping, I quickly and quietly pulled out a plain shirt and shorts and began to undress from my pajamas.

_Knowing my roommate, my _ass_ of a roommate, I damn sure hope he actually is sleeping right now and not pretending to so he can surprise me and tease the fuck out of-_

"If you're looking for a bra, they're all hanging in the laundry room," I heard his mellow voice behind me, and I jumped and grabbed the shirt to my chest to cover my currently _bare _top.

I shot my eyes over my shoulder to see him laying there, his head resting on his arm on a pillow nonchalantly, his bare sculpted chest pale in the morning sun, and both of his eyes open and watching me with an amused expression.

_That asshole._

I felt my cheeks heat up, and my eyes glared at him in the familiar expression I give him every time he pulls something like this.

"Oh good morning to you too, thanks for letting me know you were _awake_," I mumbled over to him as I dug through the drawer with one hand, the other holding the shirt to my chest. I searched for a bra as I physically felt his eyes on my bare back, and I shivered.

I heard him chuckle his deep chuckle behind me, and I could picture the hidden smile he would have and the mischievous glint in his eye.

"There aren't any in there, you should have checked that before undressing," Kakashi chastised me lightly with a light laugh, and I swung my face over to glare at him incredulously.

"How come you keep better tabs on my bras than _I_ do?!" I challenged him, my face burning from my current near-nakedness and his very alluring low-toned guy-morning voice calling to my inner female.

I watched him smile and shrug slightly in a very lazy and 'Oh I don't know' way, and I rolled my eyes at him. I couldn't help my mouth forming into a smile, though.

It's so hard to beat his smoothness. Especially when he's sitting there shirtless and his calm eyes are looking at you so confidently…

Slightly shy and fully exasperated, I grabbed a rolled pair of socks and chucked it at him on impulse. He raised a hand and smoothly caught it in his hand without moving the rest of his body an inch, his dark eye and his sharingan never leaving my eyes. His gaze on me was intense, reminding me of last night.

The rest of the room faded away as I locked my eyes with his, watching him read me as I read him. He breathed in deeply, and for a split second I thought I saw his fist clench by his side, the only sign he wasn't completely calm and collected.

I felt all of my bare skin as if I was outside in the cold, my shoulders and my collarbone open to the air and open to the intimate gaze of my roommate. I felt almost cold and I shivered as I stood there holding a shirt up to cover myself, and my body called for someone to come and cover me with their own body, their own warm and muscled body…

I swallowed as he pushed the blanket off of himself slowly, the muscles in his arms and his abdomen rippling as he tensed to stand up from the bed. He stood there for a second, just looking at me, his arms hanging loosely by his sides calmly but his eyes shining a certain energy that had been previously covered up by his now forgotten amusement. The once light and laughing atmosphere between us a second ago from his teasing had been completely replaced by a warm and serious air, my body responding to it and to the far distance of a couple feet from him.

"How, um how are you feeling?" I asked uncertainly, my mouth trying to form words correctly as his fierce gaze held mine, his eyes and his furrowed brow telling me something serious or confusing was on his mind.

I watched him raise a hand to scratch the back of his head, his eyes lowering and his body movements showing me his thought process, how he was probably reviewing the sea of alcohol he had consumed the day before and wondering how he had gotten home. But then his movements stopped and his lowered gaze widened slightly, rising up to meet mine with a knowing expression.

_Does he remember? _

I watched this man look at me with a serious expression, his familiar body standing here in our room with the morning light shining on the lines of his muscles I had memorized, my eyes picking up his every breath and his every movement like it was the most natural thing in the world. His eyes watched mine back with a similar expression, my every movement and my every action as familiar to him as his own body is. His strong gaze looked at me with his familiar friendliness, with kindness and patience exuding from his form, but also with an innocent curiosity, like he was seeing me for the person he knew inside and out but also as someone new, someone new he would like to feel differently, to experience in a way different from what we had already, in a way more intense and more intimate.

His eyes, his kind but firm expression, his respectful and gentle gaze that was somehow also intense, changed the love I have for him as a friend into something hotter, something that filled my limbs with a certain energy that was being gravitated towards him.

_Damn it._

My fingers itched to run through his silky hair, run down his chiseled chest, feel the muscled V's that lead my eyes down his stomach and pointed to the waist line of his low-riding pants. I watched as he read this in my eyes, my desire. My hunger. My hunger for him. His own gaze reciprocated the hungry expression, his serious eyes pinning me in place and sending a warm feeling into my stomach, awakening a fire.

I took in a deep breath as he took a step towards me, and then another, and I blinked as I had to look up to meet his eyes as he lessened the distance between us to a mere foot. His chest was right there, right in front of me, his face leaning in to half the distance and his eyes staring intimately into mine. I reached a hand out and lightly laid my fingers on his stomach, and his eyes slightly widened from the contact. He raised a hand slowly, the fingers slightly shaking, and he gently caressed the side of my bare neck, causing me to shiver. His other hand came up and brushed my cheek with his thumb, the hand on my neck ever so lightly trailing down to rest on my collarbone. Every square millimeter that he touched on my body felt electrified, the energy from his touch shooting its way to warm my heart and ignite my stomach. I found my body leaning into his, wanting to feel more of his warm skin, my lips wanting to taste his hidden ones, my eyes wanting to look into his uneven gaze forever.

And then, a _crash_ sounded from the kitchen. Followed by a, '_Shh, Ino!_' and a '_Quiet, Forehead!_'

I flinched as my mind returned to my body, and so did Kakashi. I blinked and regained my bearings as the bedroom door was inched open and a curious Ino face came peeking in. I watched her eyes widen to an almost unnatural degree, and she gasped audibly from the sight of my roommate and I, both of us _shirtless_, in an intimate almost-embrace.

"I um, oh, uh _sorry_!" She stuttered out, and she nearly slammed the door as I felt my cheeks burn like hot coals. I looked up to meet Kakashi's blinking eyes, and I chuckled at our luck.

I shivered from the actual cold from just having a piece of cloth held to my chest, and Kakashi took a step back and scratched the back of his head, looking dazed.

"Did I uh, forget to mention we had guests?" I asked in an almost nervous chuckle, and I turned away to slip the shirt on. My heart was eating fast, throbbing along with the adrenaline in my limbs. I heard him chuckle lightly behind me, and then I nearly jumped out of my skin when I felt his gentle fingers run across the skin of my back to help pull my shirt down over my large mane.

"You might have," he responded in his calm, low voice, the low voice that struck chords deep within my being, and I focused on breathing.

_God damn it._

I looked over my shoulder at him, at his calm and patient composure that exuded his strength but also his tenderness. I looked at his eyes, completely different from the rest of his body in that they were full of life, like little portals to a never ending well of energy. They both rose to meet mine, both his dark eye and his sharingan looking at me and filling my chest and stomach with a warm feeling.

He doesn't usually look with both his eyes open. As my roommate and my friend, I see his onyx eye around the apartment and around the village, smiling at me or teasing me, whenever we aren't fighting. And as my training partner, I have stared into his otherworldly sharingan for countless hours, the alien eye powerful and even more perceptive than his other eye.

And so now, as I met both of his eyes, the different colors uneven, I felt the intensity, the honesty, and the pure kindness from both of the sides of him hit me at the same time and fill my heart with so much happiness and appreciation that it hurt. I saw in his gaze a balance, a perfect amount of energy and desire that stemmed from our tension-filled touches, but also a profound tenderness that showed he was also one of the most caring friends I have ever known.

_This man is a wonderful person. _

_And I am so thankful to have him in my life._

I smiled at him then, a large, unguarded smile that held nothing back, and I wrapped my arms around his chest, surprising him.

"I'm going to catch up with them. And then I am going to look for you tonight at the festival," I murmured into his collarbone as I felt his arms encircle me and hold me tightly.

One of his hands held me on my lower back, the other coming to rest gently on the back of my head, the gesture comfortable and familiar.

"I'm sure there will be plenty of food there for us," he mused with a slight chuckle, and I smiled into his neck.

"I absolutely cannot wait. I will need you to cut me off at some point, or I will shamelessly turn into a cow from eating so much," I chuckled at him back, and he nodded in response, his chin brushing my hair and his hands unconsciously tightening. I sighed contently, every part of me feeling in place in his arms. In his arms either as his friend, his roommate, or as something more.

"We can work it all off later," he said lightly as we loosened our holds on each other. I felt my eyes light up at the thought of training with him.

_It's funny. I've spent countless hours training with him. And the thought of it still excites me!_

I smiled at him and nodded as I withdrew from the warmth of his arms, and I infused a bit of chakra to see how far the four kunoichi had fled and found they were waiting near the floor of the stairs outside of the apartment. I crossed my arms across my chest, remembering I didn't have a bra on, and I watched my roommate turn and walk towards the kitchen. I made my way over to the dresser to organize my bags and store some money, and I looked up when he returned into the room.

He strode over to me, one of my bras hangingloosely from his fingers, but his eyes widened and serious. I gave him a questioning look.

"Those muffins smell… absolutely heavenly." He handed the bra to me and I smiled at him in thanks.

"Blueberry, let me know what you think," I replied, turning towards the bed. I slipped my shirt off, feeling my bare skin against the air once again, and clipped the bra on quickly. I picked up the shirt from the bed when I felt his gentle hand brush my lower back.

I looked over my shoulder to give him a half-smile. His eyes smiled back at me that said 'Thank you,' and he turned and headed towards the kitchen with a light and almost eager step, the sight of the lazy and laid back Kakashi looking a hint of excited for my muffins making me smile. I finished dressing and strapped my bags to myself, and I walked to join him.

I caught his eye one last time as I made my way to the front door, his hand about to pull his mask down to eat the muffin he held. I smiled at him and opened the door, forcing my body to remove itself from the apartment and from the presence of my roommate. I felt warmth leak out of my body slowly as I distanced myself further from that man, and it took strength to close the door behind me and make my way down the stairs.

Four surprised and curious faces looked up to meet me as I descended the last of the stairs, and I gave them an apologizing smile.

"Uh… sorry about that," I chuckled out lamely, and I looked down and scratched the back of my head.

I looked up to meet the energetic eye of Ino approach me at a fast pace, and my own eyes widened as she grabbed my hand and looked me in the eye.

"You owe us _details_, Lyra. But on the way! We are losing daylight!" She exclaimed while yanking my arm towards the market, the other three beginning an excited chatter that consisted of hair and clothes and perfumes and boys. I shook my head and smiled at the energy rolling off of them, their excitement for a village festival rubbing off on me slightly.

_I just can't wait for the food._

* * *

"Sakura, I don't think that- _ow_\- that you need to tighten it -_ugh_\- that much," I whimpered out, my scalp screaming at its abuse as the pink haired kunoichi and her mother slaved away at my mane behind me.

I heard her huff as she struggled to tame the monstrous curls, and I winced again as her mother fit another one of those God awful pins into the base of my hair to patch down a braid or something.

"We are almost done, and let me tell you, it looks _beautiful_," she said, and I glowered as I forced my limbs to stay put and withstand this torture.

_I don't give a rat's ass how beautiful it looks, not if it it's going to feel this uncomfortable._

I was about to whine again when I felt the last lock of my hair be removed from my neck and tucked somewhere in the styled nest atop my head, and I felt the chair I was sitting in be turned to face a mirror.

I gasped out loud when I saw the image of a beautiful and foreign looking woman, her kimono a bright green that was accented with silver linings and flowers, and her slim neck under an artwork of various orange braids and curls that spiraled and met together in the back to form a messy but styled bun. Strands were falling down the sides of my face, framing it and making it look natural.

_This person is me?!_

I heard Sakura laugh behind me at my reaction, and I looked over my shoulder to gap at her.

"This is pretty cool, thank you," I told her and her mother, and they both nodded and smiled widely at their work.

"Let's catch up to the others for make-up, and then we should be ready," Sakura said excitedly, her own hair tied into a nice bun and her kimono a light blue with pink highlights. She herself looked beautiful, and the other three did as well.

I nodded and stood up, my feet catching on the long fabric and my head feeling heavy and lopsided with the different weight. I grumbled to myself as I tried to keep a lady's composure, and I made my way with Sakura upstairs to meet the others.

It took probably half a damned hour for them to be satisfied with the stuff they put on my face, but they only laughed and teased me lightly when I complained.

"I feel like a human cake." I mumbled almost incoherently, and I met Tenten's eyes of agreement.

"You do look beautiful though, Lyra," Hinata said softly, and my brow relaxed somewhat as I smiled over at her, sitting elegantly and looking pretty in her own kimono and make-up.

"Thank you, Hinata. You all look so beautiful too," I said honestly, my fingers reaching to scratch at my uncomfortable scalp again.

"Lyra, you'll mess it up," Ino warned, her hand grabbing mine and holding a small nail polish brush to my fingers. I groaned, trying to pull my hand away from the bad-smelling bottle, but her grip was strong and there was no arguing with them once they got started. I felt Sakura grab my other hand to paint and my shoulders slumped, giving up and surrendering.

"I am a human doll," I moaned weakly, but I went unheard as my female friends dressed me up and chattered to one another about tonight.

I was hoping Ino would forget about the little thing she saw this morning, but I groaned again internally when she met my eyes with a light, gossiping energy.

"So. Tell us," she demanded, and I cringed away from her playfully, obviously knowing what she was talking about. "Lyra! You have to explain after what I saw!" She told me, and I looked away with a blush on my face.

"Ino what did you see?!" Tenten asked, and I felt my blush double as I tried to pull my hands away and hide my face. Ino looked at me expectantly, her smile wide and her eyes telling me she would say if I didn't.

"It was uh, nothing really," I lamely excused, and I felt the four's exasperated eyes on me.

"So I walked in to _their bedroom_ and saw Kakashi-sensei _without a shirt on_ and Lyra was-"

"Ino!" I exclaimed, my face burning hot and my eyes wide in embarrassment. "I kind of _live _with him, it's not strange for him to be shirtless in our own apartment!" I tried to excuse, but I just ended up feeling all four pairs of eyes look at me wide.

"You and Kakashi sensei have always been so close," Sakura prodded me, her voice full of curiosity and her eyes smiling at me.

"We will probably see him tonight, Lyra," Hinata said softly, her own wide eyes smiling at me as well.

"You two are still training together every day, right?" Tenten asked me, her lips in half lipstick and her eyes laughing at me playfully.

I hid my face and my blush and I chuckled at their persistence, and I shrugged my shoulders.

"He's my roommate, my training partner, and my closest friend." I gave them, hushing the four and earning me their undivided attention. I think they expected me to saw more, but that was actually all I had figured out so far. I shrugged at them helplessly, and their expressions showed they knew that was where I was stuck.

"Lyra, what I saw looked like more than that," Ino said honestly, her hand on her purple kimonoed hip. I sighed then, my hand coming up to rub the back of my neck, and I shrugged again, unable to explain to them what I felt.

"I think Kakashi-sensei likes you, Lyra," Sakura told me encouragingly, and I smiled slightly over at them.

_I don't know exactly what we feel for each other. But it's something._

It hit me then, why I was cautious to talk about it and why I hadn't just given in to my emotions yet.

_I am terrified of my memories._

I sighed then, not ready to try and explain that to these sweet friends who were currently so happy and excited for the festival. I looked up at them and smiled a crooked smile almost hopelessly.

"I plan to ask him about it soon, and maybe figure some stuff out between us," I said vaguely, and I watched the four beautiful girls nod encouragingly. I chuckled at them, happy that they cared so much about these things in my life, and I smiled at them again.

"But how about all of you? Who are you all hoping to see tonight?" I asked them, igniting a spark in their eyes and successfully changing the subject.

I noticed the spark in Hinata and Sakura's eyes seem a bit sad though, but they were quickly replaced with their strong smiles.

None of them were able to fully voice their thoughts, some shy and some in denial about whomever they had crushes on. The conversation quickly turned into a different one that revolved around safer subjects like gossip about other people. I chuckled at their merriment, and I felt my stomach growl in anticipation for some food. At last, the sky had started to darken, and the outside festival lights were being turned on and the food was being cooked. For the first time in the whole day, I excitedly led the four down the stairs and out into the village, my nose finding its own path to the best smelling cuisine.

O

O

O

O

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**Kakashi**

"Your clothes are so casual, Kakashi," Asuma said, his eyes full of happy light as he subtly held Kurenai's waist beside him. Kakashi chuckled then and shook his head, not regretting for a second that he had only come in a common long sleeved navy blue shirt and his regular ninja pants.

He stood in the busy market with his friends, everyone around him laughing and talking in expensive clothing under the festive colored lights under the evening sky. There were musicians playing music outside of their bar, and countless vendors were out in the streets selling clothing and jewelry and food of all kinds. The air was full of merriment and excitement, the screams of playing children and the laughter of adults creating a comfortable drone that set his nerves at ease and his hidden mouth to a lazy smile.

He relaxed his stance, enjoying the company of his happy friends and the comfort of his joyous village. His mind was not quite content, however. He unconsciously searched the crowds of people for her chakra, her presence. He wanted her to find him like she said she would this morning. _This morning._

_I truly have become soft. What will I do with myself?_

He was about to respond to Asuma when he felt the slight disturbance of chakras in the area, a familiar wave of power and energy washing over him and filling his heart with delight and his stomach with fire.

_Lyra._

Her presence has always been powerful. Any ninja could feel it in her presence, her strength in power and her strength in her heart. He felt her approach him from twenty meters away, and he looked over in time to see a sight that took his breath away.

A tall and beautiful woman came snaking through the crowd gracefully, her slim body clad in a brilliant green and silver kimono that was hanging off of her athletic form and billowing behind her in her wake, her illuminated eyes shining from under a messy but elegant array of orange braids and curls, and her smile beaming at _him_, shining her crooked smile as she met his widened eyes with her energy filled gaze.

But the best part was that she staggered as she held a _mound_ of assorted foods in her arms, her obvious golden spoils from her trip through the festive market.

"Kakashi!" She exclaimed, giving the others enough time to prepare for her energetic and almost comical arrival as she screeched to a halt in front of them right in time to avoid tumbling into him and the others.

Kakashi blinked at her as his mind tried to process what his eyes were seeing. This stunning woman, dressed elegantly with formal attire but exuding her reckless and passionate energy, meeting his eyes with her glowing silver ones with an expression of happiness and excitement.

"I bought some food!" She exclaimed, gesturing to the large amount of food in her arms, and Kakashi chuckled at her obviousness as the others blinked and soaked in the beautiful and energetic sight of his roommate.

"Did you leave any for the other villagers, though?" He asked her lightly, and he watched her raise an eyebrow at him, her eyes still shining in a smile.

"I'm pretty sure I did. And here I was going to share with you!" She said, turning slightly as if to shield the mound of food from him with her slender body. He chuckled at her, and she alighted her glowing eyes on his surprised friends.

"Oh hello, Gai, Asuma, Kurenai," she said with her smile, and the three smiled back at her.

"Good to see you, Lyra! You look beautiful," Gai said with a slight blush, and Kakashi watched his socially clueless Lyra smile at the compliment.

_Wait. _**My**_ socially clueless Lyra?_

"Thank you, Gai, it's great to see you too," she smiled her stunning smile again, and Kakashi wondered how anyone could possibly be this beautiful.

_I have a beautiful roommate. Both inside and out._

Lyra was busy eyeing the different types of food she had, and Kakashi knew if he waited too long she could begin her feasting right there in the middle of the road. He could imagine the sight, of this delicate and graceful looking woman completely zoning out the rest of the world and sitting down cross-legged on the pavement to feast monstrously on the food she had gathered, oblivious to the amused stares and the laughs she would attract.

He knew without a doubt his roommate was capable of that.

"Lyra, we need to pick up some dish soap," he brought her attention back to this dimension. She blinked her bright eyes at him as she focused on something other than her beloved food, and he chuckled at her dazed reaction.

_Her appetite. Is indomitable. _

He placed his hand on her slender arm and looked over to his friends.

"I'll see you guys around," he waved at his friends, and he led the preoccupied roommate through the mass of bustling people towards the vendor they bought their soap from. He glanced down at her and found her hand stuffing her mouth with a piece of cake eagerly, her eyes meeting his and her cheeks blushing slightly. Her eyebrows narrowed into her glare that dared him to tease her, and he chuckled out loud at her as he snaked his hand towards her mound to grab one of the many cookies that were sticking around the pile. He watched her perceptive eyes watch his every movement, her sharp gaze picking up his every twitch when he was around her food hoard.

He gave her a look that said, 'You said you were going to share,' and he chuckled again when she rolled her eyes at him.

They progressed through the thick masses of people towards the vendor, and quickly bought soap after chatting with the old lady. Kakashi watched his roommate with enjoyment, her beauty and her energy attracting the attention of the other villagers like flies, and her amusing and cute displays of eating all of her food keeping it.

They spent an hour or two munching on all of the good food and visiting the different stalls, talking and laughing with people and just soaking in the merriment of the village festival. The evening had turned into night, and the children had begun to fall asleep and the bars had become more packed.

Kakashi and Lyra eventually made their way back towards the apartment, the loud music and drone of chatter dying down as they distanced themselves from the market. Without speaking, they jumped onto the roof of their apartment building, Kakashi settling down in his usual spot and Lyra attempting to sit down without tripping herself on the folds of her kimono.

Kakashi watched her teeter dangerously as she tried to lower herself slowly onto the uneven roof, and he smiled slightly as she lightly fell against him on her way down.

"Oof, sorry, damned clothing," she muttered, and Kakashi held a hand out to steady her. He felt a spark on his fingers from holding her soft arm that was hidden under the wide sleeve of the kimono, the clothing accenting her fairness. She chuckled lightly, her features still shining in the dim light as she settled right next to him, warming his side. Kakashi looked up to the forming stars as Lyra began to scratch at her hair, beginning to pull out a multitude of metal clips and ties and throwing them off of the side of the apartment in her light contempt. He looked over at her as she gradually let her hair down, her fingers massaging her scalp and her eyes closing in contentment.

"Ahh, that's better," she sighed, her body relaxing against his, his side feeling her curved form settle against his comfortably. Her head rested on his shoulder, her soft hair falling down their arms and tickling his fingers resting on the roof. He raised his arm and rested it on her shoulders, pulling her head closer to him and her body responding by resting more fully against his. Her movements were so smooth against him now, so trusting. He felt little to no tension that he usually felt from her, and the thought that she enjoyed his presence and felt safe with him made him smile.

And then suddenly, there was a loud _BOOM_ and a bright light in the sky in front of them, followed closely by another boom and a different colored light.

"Fireworks!" Lyra exclaimed, her expression perking up and her smile widening in delight. Kakashi tried to watch the fireworks display but he found his eyes being drawn to something even brighter than the explosions, even more beautiful.

Lyra met his eyes with her happy ones, and they widened when she remembered something.

"I almost forgot, I made you something," she said to him, and Kakashi felt his eyebrows rise as she dug her hand in one of her small teleportation pouches. She looked up at him, her expression slightly vulnerable and a hint of embarrassed, as she presented him with a small multicolored scaled bracelet. It was almost identical to the one she had always worn on her own wrist.

"I made you a bracelet out of dragon scales." Her eyes were focused on the bracelet, her fingers playing with the leathered pieces and the small but bright scales. "It's pretty and all, but it also serves a purpose."

She laid the bracelet on her lap and retrieved her own from under the folds of her kimono.

"I discovered while on the island that humans can store their chakra inside of certain dragon scales." She looked up at him then, her expression happy and her entire being beautiful. "Ever since then, I have stored a little bit of my chakra into this bracelet every day for the last few years."

Kakashi looked at her, trying to understand what she was saying.

_Store, chakra? In an inanimate object?_

She grasped his hand lightly and brought it to her bracelet. The instant his skin touched it, he felt an unimaginable immense well of energy stream into him from the bracelet, and his eyes widened from the amount of pure energy that was at disposal in that tiny bracelet. It was pure _Lyra_, an incredible amount of her pure chakra under his fingers.

"It's one of my biggest secrets, mainly because it could be extremely dangerous should it fall in an enemy's hands," she explained as she gently removed his fingers from the scales, cutting his being off from the endless well of bright energy. He blinked at her, astonished at another unique thing he had learned about her.

"How much chakra is in that?" He asked, and he watched her brow slightly crease as she thought.

"Well, I usually deplete whatever chakra I have left for the day before I go to bed, as a habit. And I have been doing this for… five years now?" She tried to remember, and Kakashi believed her after glimpsing the vast amount of energy stored in that tiny bracelet. The energy she had stored in that bracelet alone could move an entire mountain with ease.

_Leave it to Lyra to own a piece of jewelry and it turns out to be a powerful tool._

"It probably felt overwhelming to you because it was all my chakra. While you are familiar with mine, it's kind of unnatural for someone to have direct contact to another person's chakra." She slipped the scaled bracelet on her wrist and held up the slightly larger one she had made for him. "That's why you have to start with your own bracelet and gradually store your own chakra in it whenever you can."

She handed the bracelet over to him, and he accepted it graciously, his eyes wide at her.

"Mine has saved my life before. You can store your chakra in it by touching it and focusing your energy on it, and you can soak up the amount you want from whatever you have stored. I guess I thought it was logical to store unused energy when I am home and safe so I can use it later in a fight," she explained, and she looked up at him with her open and unguarded eyes. Kakashi stared back at her, not quite believing his powerful roommate was gifting him with something so valuable.

I slowly slipped the gift onto his wrist, feeling the scales and the leather settle and shape around his skin.

He met her eyes, her capturing eyes that were shining and sparkling in the light from the fireworks, and he slipped his mask down, grabbed her shoulders, and kissed her.

After a second of her surprise, he felt her fingers cup his cheeks, and she kissed him back with even more force, her passion feeding the fire that was building inside his belly. He slipped his arms around her and brought her body close to him, her curved but muscled form fitting against his perfectly like the missing piece to his puzzle. He felt relief course through his veins as he kissed her and caressed her arms, her waist, her back, her neck, anywhere and everywhere he could hold and bring closer to him in his body's need and his heart's desire for her. Relief that he could allow his arms to wrap around her waist and hoist her onto his lap, his hands could press her back against his chest, his lips could meld against hers and his tongue could taste her exotic spice. His entire body felt electrified at her touch, his senses heightened so he could smell her perfect aroma more strongly and he could feel every perfect inch of her body next to his, the fire in his stomach roaring with passion that begged to be released.

There was a small part of him that watched her closely as the rest of him gave in to his desire. He watched her for any sign that she might relive her fears, that she might be triggered by her post traumatic stress. He held back his passionate strength enough so he still held her firmly and he kissed her passionately, but he showed his respect and his care so she would feel safe as he held her in his arms.

Minutes passed like this and he felt her small and cool fingers slip under his shirt to spread their shivers across his burning skin, and their kissing turned into something more, something hotter.

_If I don't stop now, I don't know if I ever will._

His hands slipped one of her sleeves off of her shoulder, her skin illuminated in the light of the fireworks, and he kissed her slim neck gently at first, and then more strongly that shone his need, his _desire_ for her. He heard her intake of breath as she ran her fingers up his back, her every twitch attracting him more strongly, his eyes wanting to look at her perfect image while his tongue wanted to taste it. She pressed her body against him, her head rolling back to expose more of her neck for him, and he pressed their bodies even closer together, needing to feel her curves against him and her skin against his. His skin was burning for more, his veins were pumping fire through his limbs and towards his throbbing lower parts, his every sense craving for _more_, for more of her.

_**I need h-**_

"Lyra-chan?!" A distant feminine voice cut through their tension filled air and struck his eyes open in surprise. Lyra reacted similarly, her kimono loosely hanging off of her frame and her eyes wide as she breathed slightly heavily from their long kiss.

Kakashi tried to regain his own breath and calm down his running heart as his mind registered the fear and the desperation that was in the voice, calling to her from the ground near their apartment building.

He met her shining eyes, and he saw she recognized the urgency in the voice as well.

She blinked for a second before shakily fixing her kimono and attempting to stand, and Kakashi helped her up without letting her trip on the folds of her clothing.

His heart was beating so fast. His hands were shaking as he held her waist to help her up.

"Shizune? Are you alright?" She called out in the direction of the voice, and she made her way quickly to the edge of the roof.

Kakashi was desperately trying to cool down the fire in his limbs. Every inch of him wanted to pick his roommate up and carry her to their bedroom to continue whatever had just happened.

_Always some disruption._

"Lyra-chan, you need to come quickly! There is an emergency in the hospital and Lady Tsunade requested your help immediately!" Shizune called from the roof, and Kakashi watched Lyra look back at him with her widened eyes.

In the few seconds he looked at her, he knew she wanted to continue whatever they keep starting together as much as he did. He nodded at her, completely understanding whatever emergency at the hospital was much more important. He watched her smile at him a small smile under her worried eyes, the split second expression promising to him that she was looking forward to the next time they could be alone together, and she turned and leapt off of the building, landing in a run with Shizune towards the hospital.

He watched her calmly as she bounded through the village in haste, her green kimono billowing behind her and her orange mane streaming in the wind, and he swore to himself the next time he saw her, she would not be able to escape him again. He would lock them in their apartment and not allow anyone to interrupt, or he would take her outside the village into the forest if it meant having her to himself without anyone else around. He felt the fire course through his limbs, making his fists clench and his heart ache.

_I have next to no patience left. I need her._

_Soon._

* * *

**The waiting will end with the next chapter!**

**Thank you all for reading, I hope you have a nice day :).**


	11. Finally

**This chapter is called _Finally_ because, well, _it_ finally happens. :) So warning, rated M blah blah for your safety!**

**I am so thankful you want to read my stuff, and I hope you enjoy reading it, because I sure as hell enjoyed writing it. :)**

* * *

**Lyra**

"Sakura, at the same time, ready," I panted over to my co-doctor as we stood over the dying shinobi, the nurses bustling around us handing us bowls of water and fresh rags. I met her green eyes and she nodded in determination, our plan to treat this extremely fast growing poison together beginning in motion. I felt sweat drip down my neck, my concentration high as Sakura pushed the clean water into his lungs and I pulled it out with the poison inside.

The medical ninjas collectively gasped at our successful work, and I smiled grimly as we continued the extremely delicate work of extracting poison from this heavily injured shinobi.

He had multiple gashes on his chest, abdomen, legs, and arms, all varying in depth and severity.

_What could have injured him this badly? I've never seen weapons like the ones used on him before. And we have never seen the poison used on him before either._

"More water please," I asked without looking up, my hand coming up to wipe my forehead. Sakura and I continued to extract the purple poison and place it in a large bowl, knowing Lady Tsunade would want to study it later.

I left Sakura to continue with the poison extraction as I focused on his other large gashes, replacing the other nurses' hands with my own and quickly healing the bleeding wounds. I frowned, finding it hard to completely concentrate my chakra, my body still buzzed with adrenaline from my roommate a couple hours ago.

_Stop thinking about him. Heal._

I mentally smacked some sense into myself and focused all of my energy into closing up his large wounds and saving as much blood for him as I could.

I frowned, studying the gashes and figuring the weapon couldn't have been a kunai or sword; the gashes were too messy.

_I guess an unskilled fighter could make these messy wounds with a straight edged blade, but whoever did this to him was obviously skilled._

_Hmm. Almost like a 'hook'? Shaped like a very large arrowhead?_

Sakura and I continued in our concentrated healing, she successfully continuing our poison work and I successfully closing up his deep gashes while saving as much blood for him as I could.

Lady Tsunade entered after another couple of hours with her completed antidote, and we administered it quickly to the groaning shinobi.

The three of us collapsed in chairs as the nurses finished off our work, our chakras depleted and our minds sore from the concentration for so long. I looked over at Tsunade and gave her a questioning look.

"Lady Tsunade, what mission did he come from?" I asked her, and she looked over at me with a hardened look that was tinted with worry. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes, her posture showing her concern.

"He was sent on a simple mission to the Hidden Rain, to exchange documents about the Chunin exams. He returned here just now, limping and using the rest of his chakra to travel home." I watched her look at the sleeping man worriedly. "I never thought he would be in danger for this mission. I am hoping he will tell us more once he wakes up."

I nodded and took a drink of water one of the medical ninjas gave me.

"Sakura and I kept the poison in that large dish, so we can study it more in depth now. I haven't seen anything like it before," I mused, and the two kunoichi nodded at me.

"I will probably send you on an investigative mission soon, Lyra. We need to find out what happened." Tsunade told me. I cringed when I realized what tomorrow was.

"I understand. I was going to perform in the Hyuga's ceremony tomorrow, but this is a pressing matter," I said as I took another drink of water.

"It depends on when he wakes up. Go for now, and I will send someone for you when I have your mission details set. But we will work for the rest of tonight." The Hokage said, and I nodded. We had spent a good amount of hours trying to subdue the poison before finally making an antidote, and we were already well into the night. We sat alone in the emergency room with the sleeping shinobi, his face looking so peaceful after it was full of pain a minute ago.

_Who would have done this?_

"Well, in any matter, you two girls look beautiful tonight," our master told us in a lighter tone, and I met Sakura's small smile with my own. We had performed our emergency surgery in our kimonos, and it had taken all of my strength not to angrily rip the blasted sleeves off when they got in the way.

_Ino would rip my arms off for that._

"Thank you, Lady Tsunade," we said as Sakura tugged her hair out of her bun and I tried to fix the sash thing that goes around my waist.

Tsunade clapped her hands and her face took on a determined look, and she stood up from her chair with her hands on her hips.

"Now. Sakura, I want you to retrieve every book we have on poisons and bring them to my office. Lyra, we will take the poison samples and begin testing on them."

Sakura and I did as she asked, and we spent the remaining hours of the night researching and testing the poison sample to see if we could find its origin from its components, or its potency. As I had expected, we found nothing that perfectly resembled the sample, its make-up very unique and almost specially engineered.

After an hour or so of working, with the sun peeking up over the horizon, Lady Tsunade found one of the potential ingredients for the poison only originating from the Land of Wind.

"This herb used to make this poison only grows in sand. But that could mean nothing," she rubbed her forehead as she leaned on her desk, and I blinked a few times to clear my vision.

_I'm exhausted._

"Lady Tsunade, I am sorry but the Hyuga ceremony starts in half an hour, may I take a break and perform there for a few hours?" I asked her as I rubbed my eyes, and I watched Sakura's head snap up in an attempt to stay awake. Tsunade nodded and smiled her small smile.

"Yes, we should all take a break. I will check on our patient and then set up a mission, and Sakura, you can look into the sand ingredient after you relax for a while," she told us, and we both nodded and bowed, retreating from the room and leaving to walk out in the village. Our destinations were in the same direction, so we set off together, our minds feeling like mush from the all-nighter.

We passed a man who gave us a funny look walking from the market in this early morning hour, and I realized with a start what Sakura and I probably looked like.

"Sakura, we look like a couple of girls walking the walk of shame back home after a drunken night with some single guys," I laughed, and I watched her cheeks light up in a blush as she looked at me exasperatedly.

"Lyra! Don't say that!" She crossed her arms and fidgeted in her kimono, and I chuckled as I tried not to trip in my own.

I watched her face take on that familiar saddened tint, the one she always got when she thought about her old teammate. She had told me a while ago about her childhood crush on that Uchiha, Itachi's brother. I had never met him, but after Sakura had warmed quite a bit up around me, she had told me of all of the qualities he has that she loves about him, at least that he _had_. My friend has to deal with having feelings for a rogue ninja, and I had comforted her in the pain she felt, and the guilt she felt.

_The heart is the only organ that likes to fuck with you. Thoroughly._

I placed a hand on her arm, and she looked up at me with a sad smile. She blinked some and made strength enter her expression.

"I can't see you going out and spending nights with single guys though, Lyra," she said nicely, and I felt a blush take over my cheeks and I looked away and scratched the back of my head.

_Well uh that's kind of how I met my roommate… and your, um, sensei…_

"Well, I haven't done that in a long while," I tried to dodge, but Sakura's sharp gaze caught mine with her amusement. One of her pink eyebrows rose in question, and I gave her an apologizing look as I ran off in the direction of the Hyuga compound, waving at her with one hand and hiking up the damned skirt of the kimono with the other so I wouldn't trip and kill myself.

I got to the Hyuga compound to see it buzzing with life, the smell of incense underlining the aroma of cooking food. The outside courtyard was decorated beautifully with flowers and statues, and the morning light was shining on all of the black and brown haired people as they milled around and talked excitedly.

I eased myself into the commotion, aware of my interesting appearance and looking for either Neji or Hinata to save me. I felt Neji's chakra approach mine from behind me, and I turned to meet his pale gaze as he waded through the sea of talking and laughing Hyugas.

He looked older and handsome in his formal attire, and he, unlike me, was clean and well slept and prepared for the ceremony. I scratched my neck and gave him an apologizing smile, my green kimono and my orange mane looking even more out of place here than I usually do. Without a word he led me to the guest rooms, and he smiled a small smile before leaving me with a towel and some clothes so I could shower quickly.

I cleaned myself of the make-up and tried to look less tired. I shook my limbs out; knowing my part in the ceremony was a fight. A structured and boring one, but a fight nonetheless.

I put on the feminine hakama Neji's relative had let me borrow, and I dried my dense hair as best as I could. I made my way out to take my place in the ceremony, feeling better after showering and trying to rid my mind of the events that occurred within the last 12 hours.

The ceremony started and went according as planned, most of the prayers and the rituals completely foreign to me as they were the traditions of this clan. I bowed my head when I needed to and I knelt when everyone else did, and I tried not to stare and drool at the maids bringing out some food onto an outside table for after the ceremony.

_Focus._

My fight with Neji came along, and it felt good to have at it with my friend, the sparring helping to clear my mind and set my nerves to a calmer state as I whirled around and received and gave punches and kicks with him. I heard collective gasps and sighs from the crowd as Neji and I gave it our all, displaying his offensive and defensive gentle fist moves throughout our duel. We ended after our allotted time in a draw, both of us breathing heavily and us smiling from the remembrance of the familiar old fights we used to have. We received a large amount of applause and cheers from the surprisingly supportive family, and I felt happy when I watched the relief and the happiness enter the serious face of my friend from the approval of his family. We sat together on a bench and regained our breaths as the rest of the ceremony continued, and Hinata joined us as we enjoyed the rest of the ceremony.

I was relieved when it finally ended and we were allowed to eat the food, and I sat on the bench with my two friends with a big plate of eggrolls and rice and a cup of tea and I watched the day turn into afternoon as the sun made its way across the sky. A couple of the family members came to talk to me, and I chatted with them politely and tried to answer most of their questions.

_It's impossible to dodge a question when they outright ask me, 'What clan are you from?'_

I kept an eye out for any visitors that would be a signal from the Hokage, knowing I would have an upcoming mission soon. I was enjoying the day and the food with Neji and Hinata when the lord of the house finally decided to approach us.

I watched him approach us with his air of authority, and I met Neji's eyes for a second, us sharing a thought.

_Shit._

"Lyra, Neji, great performance. I highly enjoyed it," he said, and I smiled at him politely.

"Thank you, Lord Hiashi." I bowed at him and gripped my tea cup.

"Thank you, uncle." Neji said quietly, also bowing and looking just as uncomfortable.

I started when I watched Hiashi pull out a package in silver paper, and then _another_ package in silver paper, both of the wrapping papers looking more expensive than all of the things I owned combined. I felt Neji stiffen besides me, and Hinata look away. Both of these reactions sent a chill up my spine, and I felt the instinct to run away hit my limbs.

"In honor of my family's appreciation for you, I would usually present these gifts to your family, but I will give them directly to you." He held the gifts out to me with a smile, and I swallowed and cautiously received them, feeling more than a few pairs of eyes on me.

"Thank you, Lord Hiashi, but I can't accept these, all I did was perform in a fight," I tried to excuse, but his already pushy expression seemed to push even harder as I felt more and more people turn their attention towards us and an excited feel enter the air.

_No…_

"I must insist. I think I can speak for everyone when I say we haven't had such an entertaining and passionate fight before in our ceremony, and I feel honored having you and your skills in our family's festival," he said, and I swallowed again when a thought came into my mind that sent my caution to panic.

_Silver paper wrapped gifts. Usually given to the family._

_This can't be…_

_Part of a traditional proposal…_

My mind sent out a distressed search, looking for anyone or anything that could help me.

_There! That's Shizune's chakra, approaching from the north! _

_She should be here in a few minutes._

I blinked up at his firm eyes that held some kindness in them, his offers strong but his intentions ultimately good. Any other girl would feel extreme joy and excitement at this point, of receiving gifts from a powerful family's head.

I, however, was just feeling panic.

"Please open them, I would like to know what you think," he said to me in the silencing quiet, most of the attention mow placed on us. I found nothing else I could do, so I slowly unwrapped one of the gifts, feeling the smooth silver paper slip away from a brilliant blue obi, the sash thing that goes on a kimono.

I felt the soft fabric, realizing how rare the material was and how expensive it probably was, and I looked up at the smiling man, the uncle of my poor friend who was probably feeling just as uncomfortable as I was.

"It's beautiful, Lord Hiashi, thank you, but I… I can't accept this…" I said quietly, my cheeks blushing and my head bowing, unable to keep his gaze while my mind registered that Shizune was just outside of the Hyuga compound.

I felt his hands grasp mine and the obi and gesture it towards me gently, his smile kind and almost… fatherly?

"It is a gift from my family, in appreciation to your friendship with us. And it is a symbol that we wish to keep you close to our family in the future," he said indirectly, and I swallowed and fidgeted under the gazes of too many people.

"I, um, thank you, but I…" I stuttered out when a maid came running towards us, her head bowed as she tried not to interrupt.

"Lord Hiashi," she bowed deeply in apology, "Lyra-san, Lady Tsunade has a mission for you and you are to report to her," she relayed the message to me, and I felt my heart release some tension from the opportunity to run away from here.

"Oh, thank you," I replied, and glanced up at Hiashi's widened gaze. I took his temporary silence to say something.

"I am sorry, but I spent last night in the hospital tending to an injured and poisoned shinobi, and this mission will be important to uncover some mysteries. Thank you so much for letting me perform in your ceremony, I am honored to have been a part of it." I bowed at him and met Neji's widened eyes. Hiashi responded.

"Of course, your high leveled skills are needed by the village. Good luck, and it was a pleasure having you in our festival. Please keep these gifts, and I would be honored if you would join us for dinner when you return from your mission." He bowed slightly to me, showing me a huge respect and making my eyebrows shoot up, and I said my thank you's as I made my way quickly out of the Hyuga compound, my body buzzing to get away.

I walked with Shizune for a while and then I let out a huge sigh.

"You saved my ass, thanks," I told her, and she looked at me curiously before chuckling slightly.

"No problem? You actually do have a mission, you know that, right?" she asked, and I nodded and chuckled myself.

"Yes, your timing was just perfect," I replied, and we made our way through the village to meet our Hokage.

_My mind is excited to receive a mission. But my heart just wants to go home. _

* * *

_A solo two week long mission?! What will I do with myself…_

I rubbed the back of my neck as I trudged back towards the apartment, the last sleepless 24 hours beginning to catch up with me. I frowned as I walked past the vendors in the market, setting up shop for the evening next to the bars that were opening for the night. The strong and alluring scent of alcohol wafted over to me in the bar's attempt to ensnare me, and I pulled myself away from the smell of the tempting liquid teasing me with the promise of making me forget everything.

Forget that I haven't slept in a while, that I have a long mission ahead of me where I would have to sleep _alone_ every night, that I was this close to being proposed to by a family, and that my heart was still aching over the man who shared my living space with me.

_I'm complaining a lot, but I really don't have it bad. Nothing alcohol couldn't fix._

I frowned at my mind and mentally smacked myself, refusing to let myself give in to my embarrassing and problematic weakness.

I walked past the bars with their blasting music and their drone of drunken chatter and laughter, and I left the light of the market to enter into the darker neighborhood the apartment is in.

_I wonder what he's doing right now. Is he cooking? Or eating, or reading? He could be sleeping. _

Feelings from a night ago came seeping back into my being, the warmth turned to heat and the desire turned to need that he made me experience yesterday.

_How can anyone have this much power? To make my body act on its own, on its own impulses._

I approached the apartment building and looked up at our kitchen window, slightly open like we usually leave it on these nice cool winter nights, our curtain lazily flapping in the wind and giving me a peek inside.

I sighed, wondering if we have any leftovers I could heat up and devour. I frowned when I couldn't think of any in the fridge, and I jumped up the story to grab onto the windowsill of the kitchen window, feeling too lazy to take the stairs and wrangle with that damned rusted lock.

I slipped a leg in when I felt heat wash over my body from inside our apartment, engulfing me in its tension and making me glance up. I watched the bedroom door open up, and I froze on the windowsill as he stepped casually into the kitchen with just a towel wrapped hastily around his waist, his arms up and his hands towel drying his hair with another towel.

_Damn it._

I gulped, trying to look somewhere else but finding my eyes glued to his perfect form, his hands lowering the towel to reveal his messy silver hair and his bare pale face, his two eyes widened as he looked at me crawling through the kitchen window.

His relaxed stance seemed to freeze up to a small degree, his bare and open face showing his surprise, the large exposure of expression-filled skin giving me even more information on what he was thinking and feeling since I was used to reading him from just his eyes.

His skin was still slightly wet from his shower, the faint light coming from the window into the dark kitchen glistening on the water droplets and illuminating the curves of his muscles and the deep red of his open sharingan.

I mentally smacked myself again and forced my head to turn away from him as I bent down to open the fridge.

_Damn it. Why is my heart beating so fast…_

"H-How was your day?" I tried to ask him nonchalantly without looking at him, and I cursed myself for stuttering. For letting him know I wasn't calm and collected. Like he always was.

I straightened up and frowned after not finding anything in the fridge, and I turned to glance at his face over my shoulder when he responded.

"Fine, trained with Gai." I watched him out of the corner of my eye as he tightened the towel around his waist, his head bowing a bit like it usually does when he speaks without the sanctity of his mask. "Yours?" His voice was curiously soft and reserved, as was his body language as he seemed almost self-conscious around me, which made no sense because he was Kakashi, the smooth and carefree bachelor. I walked over to the counter to heat up some water for tea, successfully keeping my eyes away from his capturing ones. I leaned against the counter with both hands.

"I have a two week long mission I have to leave for in the morning." I said to him with my back turned, wondering if he could hear the complications in my voice. The fear I was beginning to feel at the thought of being on my own again, of sleeping in a foreign bed without the healing and calming company of my roommate.

_It has been so long since I have had any problems. But it has also been a long time that I have slept near my comforting friend._

I tried to keep my voice level and monotone, to hide the fact that the simple thought of sleeping on my own for a while was scaring me more than any foe I have ever faced. I felt embarrassed at my fear, my weakness. I tried to keep my embarrassment and my frustration out of my voice, but when I felt him approach me slowly, I knew I had failed.

I bowed my head as I felt his gentle hand alight on my back, his fingers slowly kneading in comfort and support and filling my being with the familiar warmth he always carried with him. I didn't know my shoulders were tense until I felt them relax under his massaging hand, and I felt my heart flutter when his arms came around me from behind, his bare and strong chest giving me a wall to relax against. His arms tightened gently around me, and I felt the rest of the world fade away as I leaned my head back to rest on his chest, his comfort feeling unbelievably good and reassuring. My mouth formed a smile and my eyes closed as he nuzzled his face against my hair, and I completely relaxed against his sturdy frame, my own face turning to rest against him and my hands coming up from my sides to rest on his arms, encircled around me.

This feeling of complete comfort, complete reassurance and complete safety, brought a memory into my mind, for once a good memory. My mind whisked away from this world and plunged me into a memory of a couple years ago, a memory that signified the ending to my hell and a beginning to my recovery.

_The first thing I sensed was the fresh air, the scent of the fresh pines and the crisp clean air of a far away memory awakening the rest of my senses in complete surprise._

_The air was so clean, so unbelievably wonderful compared to what I was used to, the cramped musky odor of a slave cell, consisting of all of my sweat, waste, blood, and tears. I felt my nose open up with eagerness to breathe in this heaven, denied of this normal air for so long it had forgotten what it felt like not to feel disgust every minute of every day._

_I cracked my eyelids open slowly, feeling their soreness and stiffness from being closed for so long. My eyes shot open too fast when I saw the most beautiful color of __**blue**__, tinted with little splotches of white in an unorganized manner. _

_Blue?_

_What a beautiful color!_

_I watched for a second as the clouds moved across the sky lazily, their movement comforting in their constant trek across the unending blue, not waiting for anything and minding their own business. My mind began to wake up and form thoughts, and the first thought filled me with sadness, but with a small sense of contentment._

_I must be dead._

_Is this what heaven looks like?_

_It scared me that I felt an almost relief at the thought of being dead. Shouldn't I be overwhelmed with grief? Shouldn't I be wallowing in a sea of sadness that my life on earth had been ended?_

_I blinked a few times, trying to remember exactly who I was and how I would have ended up here._

Oh.

_My eyes closed and I felt my sore brow frown as I remembered. Remembered who I was. I am Lanyra, shinobi of the Leaf and Dragon Sage of the mountains. Wielder of the elements and fighter with taijutsu. Who had been captured, enslaved, for an immeasurable long time._

_But how did I become un-enslaved?_

_My entire body flinched violently when the surface I was lying on moved an inch, shifting under me like a living being. I breathed in the fresh air deeply, my eyes searching the blue curiously, and I attempted to move my limbs or my head to look around, just to find my body completely stiff and unmoving._

"_Lyra, you mustn't strain yourself, you are in no position to move too fast," I heard a voice to my left, and the familiar tone sent a shockwave through my system, freezing my limbs in shock but warming my heart in recognition._

"_Yeah, you already look like death, Lyra," the smaller voice spoke to my right, right next to me, and the deep and musky tone felt like a slap to my being, shooting my eyes wider and causing me to gasp._

_It couldn't be…_

_No…_

_I felt tears well up in my eyes while my heart ached with relief, with surprise, with happiness, with an overwhelming passion of love for the friends who owned these voices. Their words felt like the most beautiful symphony to my ears, their sentences filled with care and kindness that I hadn't felt for months. I felt the ground rumble below me, shifting like a moving giant and a loud and rumbling voice emerged from all directions, a voice that filled my heart with warmth._

"_Kazekaiju, Fireball. Lyra will be hungry. Have either of you hunted?" The deep voice rumbled, the ground below me turning out to be the scaly back of one of my most dear friends, my dear training partner, Mizuryuu. I felt my pent up tears fall down my cheeks while my heart ached with happiness._

"_I'll do it, Fireball would just find some puny rabbits, not even enough for a snack," I heard the wind dragon tease as I struggled to keep my eyes open._

"_Lyra loves rabbit meat! I'm the only one nimble enough to catch them besides her; you all just stomp on them like giant uncoordinated hatchlings!" I heard the snarky remark come from Fireball, and I felt a chuckle emerge from my battered chest, my bruised throat._

"_Play nice, you two," I rasped out, and I felt the three's attentions turn to me as I coughed violently from my injured chest. I felt piercing pain every time I coughed or laughed, but that didn't stop my chuckle at the most wonderful sound of my friends bickering._

_I can't be… home?!_

"_Lyra, you scared the living hell out of us. Where have you been for the last year?!" I heard the rough voice of Fireball from my side, and as always, he softened his rough words by nuzzling my arm gently with his snout. I smiled as more tears poured down my cheeks, and I slowly turned my head to look at my friend, my muscles screaming and my bones stiff but my heart washing it all away with happiness._

"_I… Well, it's a long story…" I got out, and I panted from the large effort it took to move my head and speak words._

_I am so weak…_

_I felt the ground under me rumble again, and the voice of my training partner engulfed me in his deep and comforting tone._

"_Lyra, please rest. Your body is in serious condition; please recover and gain your strength so you can heal." He sighed deeply from under me, causing my body to move up and down a foot. He continued in a softer rumble. "I missed you, terribly, training partner."_

_I twitched a hand open and placed it on the scale I was lying on, smiling in my tears and trying to stop my crying from getting any harder._

_I felt a large snout rub against my other shoulder, and I turned my head to see Kazekaiju settling down next to me on Mizuryuu's back. I met his ebony eyes that held a sea of kindness and care, and his snout smiled at me as his bony white brow relaxed._

_I am… home? _

_Safe?_

_With my friends, my family?_

_The thought was making its way to be comprehended in my jumbled and emotion clouded mind, and I felt even more tears of relief and happiness pour down my cheeks into my hair. _

_My gaze was brought upwards from the sight of a flash of yellow and green in the sky far above us, followed by a smaller flash of pink. The flashes focused into the shapes of flying dragons, and I felt my heart break from joy once again at the sight of my friends flying in freedom, high up in the pure heavens, their scales shining from the sun in the blue sky and their wings and tails flapping and thrashing jubilantly._

_I struggled to lift my head, and I heard and felt Mizuryuu complain as Fireball and Kazekaiju helped prop me up gently, my body hurting but my overjoyed heart ignoring it. I watched as the different colors of dragons in the sky came to land near me, their eyes filled with excitement and happiness for _me_, their tails thrashing and their roars joyful, the feeling of my family crowding around me overwhelming my starved heart with feelings of love. I clutched at my throbbing heart, and I sobbed as my friends enveloped me in their comforting warmth, asking for no explanations and simply letting me know I was loved and cared for._

I blinked from the memory, the feelings of that time long ago adding to the already existing warmth I held in my heart from the wonderful friend holding me, and I sighed contently as I relaxed in the arms of my roommate, my closest friend.

I felt his chest rumble against my back in his deep and mellow voice, his words filled with care and patience.

"You will be fine. Because you will complete your mission, and then you will return home. And I will be waiting for you." He spoke to me with confidence, his arms holding on to me tightly. His words held such strong belief for me, I felt my heart soar and my mouth lift in a smile.

I turned around in his arms, twisting to face his chest and look up at his soft expression. His kind eyes watched me with his brow relaxed, his smile small but its genuinity making my own smile widen. Still in his embrace, I embraced him back, my arms slipping under his and pulling myself closer to this warm friend. I buried my face in the side of his neck, the feeling of the skin of his maskless jaw coupled with his strong hands on my back causing me to delve deeper into his hug, my heart and my stomach filling with warmth as he responded in kind by running a hand up to rest gently on the back of my neck while his other held me to him from my lower back.

I felt him sigh deeply against me, his hands beginning to move slightly as one massaged my lower back and the other caressed the back of my head gently, continuously keeping me close to him. I have never felt so in place, so rightly positioned in the world than when I am in my roommate's arms. Something about how he holds me firmly, like he doesn't want to let go, reminds me of exactly how I feel when I hold him back; like I would be content staying there for hours. How he caresses me gently, when his strong and powerful body could do so many rough things like other men choose to do with their strong bodies, but he chooses to hold me as if I were delicate, when I know he thinks differently when we battle our deadly fights. How he can light the fire in my belly with just his fingers or his voice, and when he holds me he feeds that fire with his patience and with his strength until it can blaze brightly within my limbs like a bonfire. All of these things he does for me, and all of them make me feel like I belong right here next to him, in his arms, as his partner, like two puzzle pieces finally aligning, creating a beautiful picture together and never wanting to be pulled apart again.

I felt my fingers run down his muscled back slowly, making him shiver and pull me closer, his head bowing to contact with mine, the perfect alignment of our bodies feeling so perfect but constantly being replaced with more perfect alignments as we continued to pull each other closer and shift our limbs and bodies together. Our bodies found ways to fit even more comfortably with the other, making my heart pump stronger in my chest with the warmth we create by our embraces.

I felt the heat begin to enter our sphere of warmth, the familiar passionate heat that fills my stomach with burning fire and my heart with desire. I felt his hands begin to search my body more curiously, his body heating up next to mine as I too gave in to my heart's demands. I felt my mind slowly being taken over by my passion-filled heart, my head rising so my eyes could connect with his and my mouth could search for his. I met his gaze, his intense gaze that held nothing back anymore, and my eyes widened when I read his hot desire in his dark eye and his sharingan.

And then, a screeching sound erupted from the stove, making me jump with surprise as it knocked me out of my daze, also causing Kakashi to blink a few times as he too recovered from the loud noise.

I withdrew from his warmth, from our heat, and I removed the streaming hot water from the stove and quickly poured myself some tea.

_Interruptions. Always interruptions._

I glanced back over to look at my roommate, and I found his expression a mix of surprise, intensity, and a slight impatience as he gazed back at me. I swallowed and smiled a half smile in confusion, and I scratched the back of my head as I looked over to the bedroom.

"I, um, I should take a shower too," I said softly, leaving my tea to steep on the counter as I avoided the alluring gaze of my roommate. I felt my blush coat my cheeks as I walked over to the bedroom, feeling his intense sight on my back as I held the doorknob.

_Why am I hesitating? _

_Why don't I give myself to him, like every sense in my body is telling me to? Begging me to?_

I looked over my shoulder to meet his uneven gaze looking at me with his energy, his body relaxed except for his fists clenching at his sides. Everything about him filled my being with longing, and I swallowed and slipped into the bedroom and into the bathroom, closing the door behind me.

_Am I scared?_

I closed my eyes as I leaned against the door.

_I'm not scared of him, I know that for sure. I trust him with my life._

I undressed quickly, turning on the shower to hot and running my fingers through the tangles in my hair.

_But do I trust him with my heart?_

I closed my eyes as I lathered my shampoo into my scalp, relaxing my nerves with my familiar scent.

_Does he trust me with his?_

I washed my body, and a revelation hit me so hard I paused in my scrubbing so I just stood there dumbfounded, the water washing down rivers on my body.

_I…_

_I care about him more than I have cared about any of my dear friends before…_

_Do I… Do I love him?_

…_I think I do._

_As more than my friend, my roommate, my training partner…_

I felt my heart ache in its quest to convince my mind of this, and I blinked when I realized.

I trust this man more than I have trusted anyone in my life, including myself.

I **do** trust him with my heart, because whether I want to acknowledge it or not, I have already given it to him.

_I gave it to him a while ago._

I brought a hand to my face as I turned off the water, this honest and unguarded realization about myself making my desire for him grow stronger but my fear for my heart grow stronger as well.

As much as I want to protect my heart, guard and shield my heart so I can prevent it from feeling pain again, I am next to helpless now because I don't even have control over it anymore.

Kakashi does.

That man on the other side of the door, my roommate and friend, does.

However strongly I try to fight it and deny it, I gave him my heart and I am not even close to being able to take it back anytime soon.

I wrapped a towel around me and squeezed the water from my hair when I felt his chakra approach the bathroom door, sending my veins to be filled with heat once again. I tried to control the fire growing in my belly as this reminded me of the last time he came to talk to me as I was getting out of the shower.

He had hugged me, picked me up and brought me to our bed, and he had…

He had kissed me…

I flinched with my eyes wide as he slowly opened the bathroom door. I watched him take a single step in to the humid space, his bare face and his eyes downcast and hidden in shadow. His shoulders were tensed but sort of slumped in an almost personal defeat, his clothes still only consisting of a single towel around his waist.

I was about to say something when he raised his head and his two eyes met mine with a strong and unyielding ferocity, his energy and determination stopping my thoughts in their tracks and confirming my self realizations.

_Yep. He has my heart._

He kept my gaze in his strong one, and he breathed in deeply to say something in his soft but intense tone.

"I'm sorry, Lyra. I can't wait any longer." He clenched his fists at his sides and his expression hardened slightly, his eyes taking in a more desperate energy. "I… I need…" his brow creased and he sighed, and I felt my fingers itch to touch him, to feel him, my skin craving his.

I watched his expression make up his mind, and he approached me, my skin feeling the distance between us and rejoicing at him lessening it, and I flinched as he grasped my shoulders, his movements sure. His eyes held mine in their trap, and my skin felt electrified as his hands ran up my damp skin to caress my neck.

I read in his eyes what he was trying to say. I read in the force of his expression, in the sureness of his hands as they touched me, in the way his body seemed to gravitate towards mine like mine did towards his. I read what he felt, what personal emotion he felt for us that gave him just as much caution as it did for me, and I read what his fierce gaze into mine told me of what he felt for me.

I returned all of the same feelings he had, the desire, the fear, the hope, the helplessness I felt as I looked at him and felt his chest with my fingers. I felt him shiver again under my touch, and without letting either of us dwell on our frightful feelings and uncontainable desires, he bent down to me and kissed me with passion, his lips capturing mine and silencing any thoughts I once had.

I kissed him back, my arms wrapping around his neck and his hands pulling me closer to him in our skins' needs to feel each other. I kissed him without holding back, my heart soaring in its ability to bask in my final relief with this man, my entire body lighting up as his tongue danced with mine and his hands held me to him firmly. I felt relief course through my veins like cool water in my burning and passion filled limbs, every inch of my body reacting to his and wanting more.

He paused our kissing as he picked me up quickly and took me out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, and I kissed him, wherever I could reach as he set me down on the bed. I kissed his cheeks, his jaw, his neck, his lips as he held me against the bed, his body searching for mine as mine was for his. His hands began to shake slightly as they felt along my collarbone and down to the edge of my towel, and I kissed him fiercely to cancel out any notion he might still have to hold back for me.

_My heart's ready._

_To be given to him fully._

I felt my body respond to not having anything to hold back anymore. He and I, Kakashi and I were alone with each other in our dark and cramped but comfortable apartment, and as unlikely as it sounds to me and my inherent nature, I felt completely safe under his sure hands and his strong body. I kissed him more fiercely, I ran my hands down his chest and down to the edge of his towel more confidently, and I felt his body respond in kind as he pressed me against the soft sheets of the bed, his kissing gaining more intensity as he slowly let his body take over and give in to his desires fully.

I felt him gently cast aside the small towel that was left to cover my body, and every inch of me lit up as he continued to kiss me, his hands making their way to feel my curves and caress my skin. Skin and curves he probably knew better than his own, after seeing it fight against him every day. I had his lines and his muscles memorized, his every move against me calling up a perfect reaction move against him, our bodies fitting against each other as our mouths and hands explored the other in this new light, his fingers and tongue leaving an unending stream of electricity on my skin.

His lips kissed me with a certain impatient need, his warm hands pulling me towards him in his now urgent desire to have me soon, to have me now. I responded in kind, my fingers slipping in between his towel and his warm skin underneath to tease his body closer, to cause his lips and tongue to move to my neck, to make our heat turn even hotter in our bodies' and hearts' need to connect.

The rasping sound of the knocking on wood sounded through our heat, and we both flinched at the interruption. I blinked and watched Kakashi remove his mouth from my neck to look down at me as he lay on top of me, his messy hair hanging between our faces and his fierce gaze looking into my equally fierce expression.

"We're not home." He stated as his hand ran down my waist, causing my being to shudder in delight. I half-smiled at his statement, my own hand running up his spine and making him shiver, his onyx and his sharingan widening slightly.

"Damn right we're not." I reached up to meet his face, and I kissed him with my own longing, fuelling his fire and making him kiss me back with more passion. I wrapped a leg lightly around his waist, and he pressed his towel covered lower part against my bare lower part, aligning our bodies perfectly and sending the fire blazing through my limbs to another degree.

My entire body was on fire, every inch of me needed to feel him more, and I didn't know if I could wait much longer. Every centimeter of my body pointed to my lower regions, the heat and the need there almost unbearable with the single towel in its way of satisfying my body's needs. I broke off from our kiss to trail a line of kisses down his jaw to his neck, causing him to press against me even more as my hands slipped in between our bodies to leave a trail of shivers down his stomach in my quest for what was hidden beneath his towel.

I undid the corner of the towel that was tucked in and caressed his hardened member with my cool fingers, causing his entire muscled body to tense on top of mine. I lightly nibbled on his neck near the base of his jaw, and my actions seemed to hit a switch inside of him that released the hidden side of my roommate, the more unreserved and impulsive one.

His hands held my body more firmly, and he turned his head into my neck as well to kiss my burning skin with a dominating feeling, and one of his hands trailed down the curve of my hip to tease the skin near my throbbing opening, causing my body to arc up to meet his as his pressed against me at the same time.

My hands trailed shivers up his back, and I gasped out loud and my nails pressed into him as his fingers slipped into my wet opening, his kissing on my neck turning into something rougher as he nipped me with his teeth. I arced my lower half up to meet his, needing to feel more friction and more penetration as my hands ran up his back to tangle in his messy hair. I felt his warm mouth leave the skin of my neck and I opened my eyes to meet his enlivened ones watching me with such strong emotion, his Onyx and his Sharingan shining a well of passion and his expression full of hunger, hunger for _me_.

I stared back into the gaze of this man, my Kakashi, and I kissed him as he entered his member into my woman's warmth, causing an explosion of fireworks to set off inside every square inch of my body.

I gasped in pleasure, and I felt him intake a breath and begin to shake with a pent up power in his muscled and strength filled limbs, and I felt him in my arms as he pulled out to shove himself back into me in a slow motion, his restrain causing his body to literally shake as he kissed me back with the force to push me against the sheets. His effort to hold back his rough and forceful desires for me filled my already passionately exploding heart with joy and appreciation, and I clung to his form as I threw my hips up to meet his, causing his body to jolt in pleasure and his hands to grip my curves more intensely.

I curved my body up to meet his as he increased the speed of his thrusts, and his hands reacted by slipping under my heated body to capture me in his arms, his body beginning to give in to his rougher desires by slamming his lower half against mine as his face buried into my outstretched neck.

His every twitch, his every move sent fire coursing through my limbs, his thrusts lighting the explosives in my stomach and the relief of finally being connected with him to my heart.

I clung to his back as I felt the pleasure explode throughout my limbs, and I bit and kissed his neck as he thrusted into me over and over again, making me moan as he held onto my body tightly.

I wrapped my legs around his waist, allowing our bodies to connect even more perfectly, and I felt him moan softly into my neck as he delved even deeper into my depth, hitting an almost painfully sensitive spot that made my eyes shoot open and my hands grip him harder. I gasped as he hit that spot within me again, and then _again_, and I clung to him as I felt the pressure and the tension, the wonderful pent up passion forming in my lower parts build with his every thrust, his every kiss, his every bite, his every clutch as he connected our bodies together over and over again in the most perfect and natural unison.

His thrusts increased in speed, his hot breath on my neck and his hands holding me to him, and I moaned as I felt my pent up passion build even more as I lightly bit the heated skin of his tense neck, his tensed muscled arms holding me to him firmly and his tense muscled back shivering under my cool fingers.

I felt him thrust into me even faster, our breaths coming heavily and our bodies fighting to feel more of each other, needing more until the pent up passion was satisfied. I felt my end coming, my entire body lit on fire as my nerves were exploding in pleasure, and I felt his length throb in me, signaling his also impending end.

His thrusts never missing a beat and accelerating continuously, I felt his face withdraw from my neck, and I ran my hands up his sweaty back to tangle in his messy locks, my eyes opening to find his staring into mine.

His mouth was slightly open as he panted, his expression filled with so much intense emotion and pleasure as I read in his widened eyes as he too was filled with our pent up passion, and as one, I felt our connected parts explode together in a passion filled explosion of satisfying relief.

Our lips found each other like lost lovers as we rode through the adrenaline filled waves of our orgasms, our bodies rocking together as we kissed through the climax of our passion. His firm hands softened on my curves and my fingers massaged his scalp as he kissed me tenderly, the beating of our hearts threatening to jump out of our chests as we tried to regain our breaths.

Kakashi collapsed on top of me, his face falling into the crook of my neck and his heart beating frantically against mine, and I ran my hands down his back and back up to weave through his hair, my mouth forming into a contented smile.

He turned his head slightly into my neck and he kissed me tenderly, the gentle gesture after our perfectly rough love making causing my smile to widen and my eyes to close.

We lay like that together for a while, both of us content to lie right next to each other as we regained our breaths and our adrenaline crazed nerves settled down.

I continued to run my fingers gently through his messy hair, his slightly heavy muscled body relaxing on mine as his heart settled down in his chest.

I felt him shift his arms and pull himself up to rest on his elbows, his face still only half a foot above mine, and I smiled up at him as I reached a hand up to hold his cheek.

He looked into my eyes, searched in mine deeply as he smiled his small smile back at me, his eyes closing and his expression looking calm and content as he rested against my hand. His brow furrowed slightly, his mouth parting a bit as if to say something, and he struggled to form words as I reached my other hand to hold his other cheek.

His eyes met mine, my smiling eyes that thanked him sincerely. I don't think I could ever find a way to express in words how thankful I was that I had him as my friend, my roommate, my partner. His eyes watched me back and told me the same, his serious but contented expression telling me more than any amount of words could.

Kakashi slowly shifted his body off of mine to rest next to me on our sheets, and I realized how wonderfully exhausted I was laying here next to his warmth, my head moving to rest on his chest and his arm moving to rest around me, his fingers rubbing comfort and kindness as he held me in his arms.

I felt his heart also slow into a restful and calm state, his body relaxing against mine fully as we rested from our incredibly intense passion, my body feeling more perfectly exhausted than when we fight for hours.

And then a thought, a terrifying thought barged into my peaceful and happy mind and disrupted my feelings of contentment.

_I have to leave for a mission tomorrow._

_A two week long mission._

_Alone._

I felt my fist clench where it lay on Kakashi's chest, and my nerves began to act up from their calmed state as my fears began to spill into my worrying mind.

_I will have to leave him, leave his bed, leave his warmth, leave his safety._

_I will have to be on my own, sleep on my own, in the dark, by myself with my __**scars**__ as my only company…_

I felt his arms tighten around me, and I looked up at his face to see concern radiate from his caring eyes, his hand coming to gently caress my cheek.

I blinked at him, and in an instant, I think he understood exactly what I was thinking.

His brow softened, his arms held me firmly, and his eyes looked at me with more compassion than I think I deserve.

In just his expression, in just his emotion and his care, I felt his kindness wash away my fears like pure water washing away poison. My eyes widened at his kindness, his pure goodness, and at his confidence as he told me with his eyes what he thinks of me, how he believes in me and my strength. His soft fingers on my cheek caressed me gently as his eyes convinced me firmly that I would be alright, and that he cares for me as much as I care for him.

I smiled in such appreciation, so thankful this wonderful man is my closest friend and partner. I settled against him and he did the same, my heart aching in the familiar wonderful pain of love, my mind believing in the confidence Kakashi held for me and trusting him easily. I already entrusted this man with my life every day, I entrusted him with my body multiple times and now I have discovered that I entrusted him with my heart.

I felt my eyes droop as I lie next to him, the constant up and down motion of his chest lulling me to sleep as I rested against him and his stable and comforting breathing. His arms shifted around me, tightening unconsciously as he too settled against me, our clothes-less bodies feeling perfectly content being right next to each other, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

I felt sleep overcome me, pulling me into its soft grasp and inviting me to the world of dreams.

_Of course, my dreams aren't as fictional as they used to be._

_Most of my dreams involve the man I'm sleeping next to._

_And those dreams happen when I am awake._

* * *

**Thank you for reading, I'm trying to mix and balance the smut with the loving fluff somehow, I'm trying!**

**If you have any suggestions or comments I would love to hear them, I hope you have a nice day/night. :)**


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